Favorite Scars
by HarperGrey
Summary: Emma is marrying Hook, Snow and David are reunited and Henry is needing her less and less...Regina finds herself alone and The Dark Fairy is threatening the realm. Regina is torn between her love for Emma and giving the Dark Fairy a second chance. FairyQueen endgame.
1. Chapter 1

_this story begins with the current season - emma is distracted with killian and their impending marriage, henry is growing up and needing his mother less, snow and charming are reunited, and regina is alone. the black fairy pays a visit to storybrooke to defeat emma and break free of the dark realm she's been stuck in...regina is torn between remaining loyal to emma and giving the black fairy a second chance, for she has met the dark fairy before...this story will draw from canon with mostly everything except it will be fairyqueen endgame. she and regina have too many parallels to not explore this, plus i can give regina a happy ending with a smoking hot, loyal partner who understands her. hope you like it xxx_

* * *

 **Regina's Mercedes**

"Best night ever!" Snow whooped as she stuck both of her arms out of Regina's passenger side car window. Regina's eyes widened at her former step-daughter, keeping one hand on the wheel and reaching out with her right hand to grab a fistful of Snow's white shirt to keep her inside of the moving car. She had been the most sober one after their night out to cheer Emma up, already dropping her off and reassuring her she'd get her mother home in one piece.

"It won't be if you face plant on pavement, get back in here," Regina huffed and pulled Snow back down to sit on her bottom, shaking her head briefly. "How many times do I have to save your life?"

Snow snorted then, letting her head fall back on the passenger seat before it snapped upright again, looking at Regina with a terrified stare, "I can't go home like this! David is there asleep and all I want to do is talked to him and kiss him and-," She stopped at Regina's sharp glare, "Being near him is the hardest part. I can't stand to see him like that."

"We'll find some way to break the curse soon," She nodded with a sigh, gripping the steering wheel a little tighter at the guilt of her evil half putting a wedge in Snow's relationship.

"I know," She whined dramatically, reaching down to press buttons on the radio until the mayor had to slap her hand away, "There's just so many things I want to talk to him about. Things that only he would understand. But all we can do is sleep. Do you know what it's like to miss entire days? To not know when you'll wake up and be dead to the world for hours?!"

"That may not be such a terrible thing for you to sleep through this hangover," Regina joked to ease the tension, trying to evade her conscious eating away at her. David and Snow were so sickeningly in love that she knew it truly hurt them to be kept apart. She wasn't sure she'd ever experienced a healthy relationship such as that one, which made her feel even worse for destroying one. "I'll help you into your apartment and onto the couch."

"Nooo Regina, I don't want to go back there yet. I'm not sleepy!" Snow shook her head adamantly, "I know! Henry is at Emma's tonight. Let's go back to your house and party!"

"Party? At my house?" Regina raised an eyebrow at her passenger, seeing the way her head swayed. Snow would undoubtedly be passed out within a few minutes of getting her anywhere, so it wouldn't hurt to grant her wish and take her back home with her. "All right, you can crash at my house," She sighed and shook her head when Snow began obnoxiously dancing.

"Ayooooo!" Snow whooped and raised her hands again, "To the mansion!" She yelled, pointing her hand theatrically in front of her.

A few minutes passed of Regina having to listen to Snow sing off-key to various hits of the '80s before pulling into her parking spot at her home. She glanced at the woman who was mumbling lyrics at a lower volume now, even after she shut off the car and the radio no longer played. Stifling a half smirk at how pathetic her ex step-daughter was at holding her drinks, she unfastened her seat-belt and got out of her own seat, rounding the car to open the lightweight's door.

"Come on, up and at 'em," Regina roused Snow with a hand on her shoulder, seeing her come back to the present with a quick nod and muttering of something she couldn't quite understand, "I can't let you sleep in the car as much as I'd rather go to bed myself and leave you out here," She chuckled to herself as she helped Snow out of the seat and steadied her along the path.

"Emma's just stubborn, you know," Snow slurred out of the blue, glancing up at Regina as they walked up the path to the front door. Regina frowned curiously at the shorter woman when she propped her against the house so she could unlock her front door, "She'll come around."

"I'm not sure I'm following you," She shook her head and continued to open her clutch and retrieve her house key, knowing the cocktails were probably talking at this point.

"I saw the way you watched her tonight," The drunk woman's head tilted to the side and a knowing, soft smile appeared on her face when Regina lifted her head to look back at her, "And I know it bothered you when she was stand offish towards you."

"She's upset, I was just trying to help her get her mind off things," Regina's eyes widened towards her ex step-daughter's insinuation that her concern for Emma was anything beyond being a good friend, "Come on, let's get you in bed," She sighed, pushing the door open after unlocking it.

"You understand what she's going through, I get it," Snow nodded as she stumbled into Regina's foyer, chattering as she followed the mayor who had visibly stiffened in her movements with the subject at hand. "And I know you want to be there for her. But while you've gotten better at talking about your feelings, she's just not there yet."

"I know this," Regina rolled her eyes, trotting down her hall to get a blanket and pillow from the linen closet, "Do you mind? I'm trying to make your bed," She huffed when she turned around and almost ran into the swaying drunk who followed her like a puppy and would not relent on the point she was trying to make. "What are you getting at, exactly?"

Snow gave her that knowing look as Regina held a blanket and pillow in her arms, facing in her, "I just...wanted to say I appreciate the way you look after my daughter. Even though she's too upset to be grateful to you, doesn't mean I'm not."

"I'm just being a good friend," Regina glanced towards the bedding in her arms, intentionally averting her gaze when her voice wavered vulnerably without her permission.

"I know it's complicated between the two of you, but don't give up just yet," Snow replied, voice dripping in optimism that made a bitterness ripple through Regina.

"I'm lost at your insinuation," She continued to deny, avoiding Snow's gaze as she pushed past her and carried the bedding into the living room. She didn't see Snow following but she could hear her unsteady steps and and occasional bump into the wall or furniture.

"You looked really beautiful tonight, Regina," Her insufferable ex-step daughter said behind her, making her face flush with embarrassment as she unfolded the sheet and kept her back to her, busy with covering the sofa. Deep down Regina had known why tonight had been so special to her. It was her first chance in years that she'd been emotionally ready to approach Emma without the One Handed Wonder around. She'd even gone to the trouble of buying a new outfit and trying a different hairstyle in hopes the sheriff might notice, but unfortunately only her mother had.

When the humiliation had somewhat faded from tingeing Regina's cheeks, she turned around and straightened up, "I know I did," She gave a shrug as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Snow only rolled her eyes with a half smile before opening her arms, coming towards her with what looked like could've been a sloppy hug. She stepped to the side quickly to dodge it, watching Snow fall face first on the couch instead.

"Love you, too," Snow muttered with her face into the pillow, eyes closed from drunken exhaustion.

Regina sighed, going over to grab the trash can in the corner and setting it beside of the couch on the floor. She grabbed the blanket she had laid at the foot of the couch for her, fluffing it out before laying it over Snow as she'd done many times before, many years ago. "Goodnight, Princess."

* * *

 **108 Mifflin Street**

Regina paced the foyer of her mansion, heels clicking across hard wood floors like the seconds that crept by as her anxiety peaked. She'd been overwhelmed before, but recently trouble had been gravitating towards her faster than she could react. For years she'd prided herself for being quick on her feet, ready for any threat that came her way. Normally, she'd already thought of anything that could go wrong and already formulated battle plans to combat it. But right now, her world was spinning. Things had changed quickly in Storybrooke and there wasn't time for feelings or ladies nights out like a few weeks ago.

Henry. Her son and the most important reason for her survival was being threatened by hallucinations beyond her control. The memory of his eyes turning white as he scribbled violently, prompted by forces she could not fight, made her stomach churn with fear. The Author had been no help and only made her worry increase for her only child. She knew he was struggling with it himself, knowing the end of his storybook was near and that his biological mother was about to embark on her final battle.

Regina felt the burden her son carried over the responsibility of finding out what that meant. It was in his hands to create how everyone's stories ended and it was clearly something he did not take lightly. Her son was much like her in that aspect, adopting her sense of duty to take everything upon his own shoulders. The difference was Regina deserved to have everything fall on her. When people were in danger here, it was usually an indirect result of the original mess she had created. Henry was a teenager; his only worry should be having enough cash for new comic books. He didn't deserve this pressure.

So far she'd managed to figure out a way to break Snow and Charming's curse and Hook had been returned to his beloved Emma. It was bittersweet to watch the couples around her be united. Of course, she didn't want it any other way, but it was still a painful reminder of just how alone she was. Not to mention that during the process of being distracted with breaking Snow and David's curse, she'd allowed yet another dangerous threat to her loved ones invade their town.

Why did Emma's final battle have to be with _her_ of all people? Regina's stomach churned at the potential outcomes of Emma and the Black Fairy's showdown. Emma was the Savior and procured the most powerful light magic, but she knew what the Dark Fairy was capable of, as well. Both women were deadly in their own right. Light magic was powerful, but dark magic did not play fairly.

What was her own role in this, though? Regina felt a strong sense of loyalty to Emma. She was her son's biological mother, one of her few close friends, and someone she loved deeply, despite the distance Killian's presence put between them. It was only natural that she side with Emma and help her find a way to destroy the Black Fairy. To destroy darkness once and for all.

Still, the small part of her that hesitated in declaring the Black Fairy a mortal enemy gnawed away at her. She hated feeling conflicted more than anything. Not knowing where to direct her hate and rage made her anxious. Having a common enemy to protect her family against gave her a healthy channel for the darkness inside of her, but in the past it had typically been easier. In the beginning her rage and pain had blinded her into choosing Snow as an enemy, but in the recent years it was anyone that threatened the family she'd worked so hard to all her own. But now? Now it was more complicated than that.

How could she, in good conscious, blindly side with a woman she loved but never deserved, against another woman she understood and...once cared for. Regina saw herself in the Black Fairy. She felt her humming rage and the heartbreak emanating from her. She could see the sadness and loneliness in her eyes that had haunted her own reflection until she adopted Henry. She knew why the Black Fairy had lost her way and evolved into the evil monster she was. Evil wasn't born, after all. It was made; and if everyone deserved a second chance, then how could she turn her back on someone she knew so desperately needed one?

* * *

 **Enchanted Forest**

 _The Missing Year_

"We're pregnant," Snow beamed at the head of the table where she sat with her idiot husband who shared the same chuffed grin from ear to ear. The dwarves whooped loudly, the Merry Men clinking their glasses and the entire dining hall beginning to chatter their congratulations. Regina's stomach soured at the news and she was sure the smile she forced had a bitter tint to it. _How could they be so shamelessly happy? They lost their daughter and grandson. Regina lost her baby boy. Forever._

The room was lost in celebration at the news, giving her a chance to quietly stand from her chair and excuse herself without a word. She kept her eyes glued to the floor as to avoid the gaze of anyone who may have saw her leaving the great hall, making her way down the corridor that led to her dark and empty bed chamber. Her irritation only skyrocketed when she found herself being followed by the incessant thief who was not as soft-footed as he prided himself to be. He'd refused to leave her alone since he _heroically_ thwarted her plan to put herself under the sleeping curse and it was beginning to grate on her last nerve.

"Are you all right, M'Lady?" Robin's thick accent caused her to sigh and grit her teeth as she walked a bit faster. Was he so daft that he could not take a hint?

"Leave me alone, thief." Regina bit back without even a glance in his direction. The way he watched her was infuriating after she'd had a brief moment of vulnerability in his presence and told him of her plans to use the leftover sleeping curse on herself. He hovered around her now whenever he got the chance, pity practically dripping from his eyeballs like she was some piece of broken china that he wanted to put back together.

"I'm worried about you, Regina. You barely join us for meals and when you do you only pick at your food. You stay in your room and away from everyone. I know you're missing your son, but this isn't a healthy way to deal with it."

Regina spun on her heels with a snarl of white teeth at the mention of her son, "Do not tell me how to mourn for my son."

"That wasn't my intent-" Robin stopped walking at her sudden stop and sputtered, clearly surprised by her sudden venom.

"Then what is your intent?" She hissed now, "Need I remind you that I am your Queen and to be addressed and treated as such. I should put your head on a pike for thinking you could even approach me in this manner!"

She was seething now, her body literally vibrating with pent up rage. Just looking at him made her feel violent. She hated the pity that laced his tone and expression, much like the stares she received from the rest of the castle. Half of them were pitifully sympathetic, the other half sneering and gleeful at her misery. The people walked on eggshells around her, waiting for her to snap and revert to her evil ways. Some of the castle's inhabitants had practically already raised their pitchforks to condemn the backslide they felt would inevitably come for her.

"If you wish to be left alone then who am I to stop you?" Robin frowned in a disappointed manner, as if she were a child that didn't learn the lesson he was trying to teach. _Uppity fool._ What did he know about losing a child? Everytime she had to witness him playing with his adorable dark haired son it practically felt like a knife in the chest.

"There's nothing I would like more," She smiled dangerously, eyes glittering with anger before she waved her hands and disappeared in a purple cloud.

* * *

Regina glowered at the dark, poisoned heart in her palm as she sat deep in the forest with her back against a large willow. This area was much too dark and deep within the woods for any of the castle dwellers to roam to, providing a perfect solace for her to escape their prying eyes during the day. The lack of sunshine and damp earth suited her depression and provided a strange comfort of sorts. Like she could finally breathe.

Her pitiful heart had grown darker from the grief of losing Henry, leaving it a deep shade of burgundy. It was cold and so small it could pass as a child's heart if it wasn't so blackened. Her son had been the one person in her life she loved more than anything; the reason her heart hadn't gone completely dark and overridden by her malevolent tendencies. His memory still remained in her heart, keeping a soft red light glowing from deep within it, but she feared it would be gone soon.

What did she have to keep her on the right path, now? Her mind constantly cycled through these kinds of thoughts, the conclusion always the same. She could take out her wrath on this miserable realm again, but what would it provide besides a temporary release? Not only was there a lack of real purpose to going evil again, her son's gaze clouded her mind anytime she considered it. She'd worked so hard for Henry to look at her with admiration instead of disappointment. To revert on her pledge to be a better person for him now felt like a dishonor of his memory.

It was this dead end that made her want to put herself under the sleeping curse when they'd returned to the Enchanted Forest. Every day was a constant battle to ignore the darkness that bubbled within her and remain sane despite the grief that ate away at her soul. There was a hole inside of her from the loss of her baby boy that was a million times deeper than the one Daniel's death had left. The devastation was unlike anything she'd previously experienced...and look how she'd reacted before.

Being so uncertain of her next move scared her. What if her depression devoured her so entirely that she went mad like she had over her stable-boy? She loved with every fiber of her being and when it was taken from her it physically hurt. The pain was overwhelming and clouded her judgement. It made her want to rage over her loss and her weakness at the same time. She was a tornado of emotions and it made her no longer trust herself.

It would have been safer for everyone if she'd put herself under the sleeping curse. They'd have all been better off without her morose energy pulsating throughout the halls of the castle she hated. The realm and the people in it would have remained unscathed by her mourning. She would've been able to remain true to her vow to Henry. Most of all, she'd be unaware of the pain that was currently ripping her apart.

Not to mention the recent revelation that she had a sister who was out to get her. She was clueless as to why Zelena had such a vendetta against her. If the jealous bitch only knew the hell she escaped by Cora giving her up. Regina would've gladly let Zelena take her place as Queen if she could have.

She rolled her eyes at the thought of the Wicked Witch and wondered what approach she'd take. It was pitifully ironic that Zelena's entire envy driven agenda was to destroy Regina's happiness and take everything away from her. Poor girl wasn't even going to get her revenge, for fate had already stripped her of everything she held dear. She supposed it was another thing for Greenie to get...well, _green_ over.

Even though she had nothing to lose, she felt the burden of keeping an eye out for her half sibling. There were plenty of other people in this castle that had much to lose and Regina would be damned if she'd let them be caught in the crossfires. She would have no more bloodshed on her hands. She would not destroy anymore families or be the cause of anyone losing their happy ending. That life was behind her now and if her sister wanted a target then she could bring it on and leave the rest of them out of it.

Regina sighed and resumed scraping the ground beside her with a broken stick, digging a small hole near the base of the tree she sat against as she held her heart with her free hand. Snow White had stopped her from burying her heart before and she'd been stuck with it for weeks now. At least the one positive thing about that bubbly fool being impregnated was that she'd be distracted for a while. Maybe she won't even notice if her heart is out here instead of inside of her chest. She rolled her eyes and blocked out the niggling feeling that Snow would know as soon as she saw Regina again, for she knew her too well at this point.

A child's giggle startled Regina from her task and she dropped her stick suddenly, lifting her head to scan the forest scene for which direction the sound came from. Again a familiar giggle sounded and her brows furrowed in alarm. She knew that giggle, it had been making her heartsick for weeks now every time she heard it up and down the corridor outside of her room. Her eyes focused then on brown curls that bounced with each step he took, reaching in the air in front of him as if he were trying to catch something.

She kept still, holding her heart securely in her left hand as she watched from her seat against the tree, going unnoticed for now. The humming of fast wings carried on the breeze and the glittery black orb left a trail of sparkling dust in it's path as it dipped down almost within reach before flitting up above Roland just as quickly. Regina recognized the small creature, not much bigger than a butterfly, leading the boy deeper into the forest. It looked just like Tinkerbell did when she'd flown into her room so many years ago, except the aura given off was much darker in both color and vibe.

Regina started to make her move to intervene when the orb shined brightly, changing into human form in a delightful display of black shimmer. Her lips parted slightly when she took in the fairy's appearance, noting long legs covered in tight black leather, a corseted top of black and an ornate head band that came down in a vee on her forehead. The fairy's eyes were dark, set under defined eyebrows and above high cheekbones. Her hair was long, laying over her shoulders, and her smile bright and full of mischief as she looked down at the surprised little boy.

"See, wasn't that a fun game?" The fairy purred and Roland giggled and nodded quickly. Their conversation brought Regina from her thoughts and back to the present, a foreboding feeling creeping up inside of her when she saw the hungry eyes of the other woman. Regina recognized that expression, she'd worn it many times before as the Evil Queen. It was a look of sheer delight caused by the knowledge that you had your prey right where you wanted them, ready for the capture.

She pushed her heart back into her chest with a quiet gasp, knowing it was the safest place for it should a physical altercation arise. With a flick of her wrist she transported herself to the small clearing in the forest, positioning herself directly behind Roland. The seedy woman looked back at her, eyes glittering with a bit of rage at the sudden intrusion she clearly wasn't expecting. Regina put her hand on Roland's shoulder quickly, seeing his eyes grow wide when he tilted his head back to see her looming over him.

"Roland you shouldn't be in this part of the forest without an adult. I'm sending you back to your father," Regina gave the boy a polite smile before squeezing his shoulder gently and engulfing him in a cloud of purple smoke that took him back to the Merry Men.

"What do you think you're doing?" The woman hissed at her now, stepping forward to bridge the distance between them. Her face was written with rage, lips in a snarl and hands clenched by her sides, black magic glowing from them.

"Protecting my people," Regina growled back at her, taking her own step forward to show dominance and prove she was not intimidated. It would take much more than some twisted fairy to scare her. "What did you want with that boy?"

"Ahhh, so you're the Evil Queen everyone raves about back home," Her eyes squinted slightly as they scanned Regina's form, "As striking as they say, I must admit." The mischief was back in her dark eyes though they still glistened dangerously, as if she weren't sure whether she wanted to fuck or throttle her.

"Back home? Where is that?" She eyed her in the same manner, noting the fairy stood a few inches taller than she and more slender in form.

"The Dark Realm. You're a hero there," A seductive grin spread over the fairy's lips, "All of the mass murders, the burning of villages, the crushed hearts...Your body of work is truly incredible for such a short amount of time. Do you know how many King's have only managed half of the destruction during reigns triple the time of yours? I always said, if you wanted something done, find a woman..." Her brow perked then, stirring something inside of Regina.

She maintained a cold stare at the woman despite the dark, magnetic pull she felt. It always happened around other dark beings, the temptation to devour their energy and succumb to the evil inside of her. Granted, the pull had never ripped through her so violently before with anyone else, but this woman was truly malevolent. A striking fairy from the dark realm...luring a young boy into the forest...

"You're the Dark Fairy," The words came out of Regina's mouth with a little more of a revelation-like tone than she wanted to project. It was pertinent when facing a potential threat to maintain the appearance that she already know who they are and what they wanted. One had to act as if they were a step ahead of their opponent at all times. It was a key battle strategy she'd observed during her reign, formulated to make the enemy begin to doubt themselves. _There went her strategy straight to hell_.


	2. Chapter 2

_intrigued yet? ;) xxx_

* * *

 **Enchanted Forest;** **The Missing Year**

Fiona smirked vindictively as she began to prowl a parameter around the revered Evil Queen, seeing a hint of uncertainty in her brown eyes despite her otherwise stoic expression. She knew the woman in front of her was feared by many and not used to someone like herself who wasn't intimidated by her. It made her stomach stir with excitement to know that she had affected such a beautiful creature and she couldn't help but egg her on.

In her journies to different realms she'd met and observed many rulers; some that she liked and some that she didn't. The more iron-fisted ones used this tactic, their demeanor calm and collected in the face of a threat to throw their opponent off. She'd seen it played out in various courts and battles in several kingdoms. Though she would admit that the Queen was a hell of a lot more appeasing to look at than the old, bald kings who were usually in charge.

"Beautiful and quick, too," Fiona mused at the Evil Queen's acknowledgement of who she was, seeing her dramatic brows draw down. The woman was truly stunning, donning a long black dress and a feathered cape that complimented a neat up-do. "I'm surprised you've heard of me."

"Everyone has heard of you," The Queen gave an exasperated roll of her eyes as if she were bored, her tone clipping. "Much like me you're known for the atrocious acts you've committed. Though I have to say that even I never took pleasure in torturing children."

Fiona scoffed a little at the sudden moral high ground the woman found herself on, "Please, we're the same, you and I. You know how important it is to get what you want...what you _need._ I should destroy you for interfering with my prey."

"And I should incinerate you for poaching from my castle," The Queen snarled then and took a step towards her, wrist procuring a fireball in her leathered palm. _So, she was a feisty one._

She chuckled at her, seeing the rage in her eyes at her response, "Oh we both know you're much too smart to do that when we could help each other."

"What could you possibly do for me?" The royal's tone dripped with disdain and disgust. Fiona could feel the rage vibrating from the woman in front of her, but she also felt the pain that fueled it.

"I heard you had returned to this realm," Fiona cocked her head to the side and stared at the flame still burning in the tense queen's palm. "But due to the Dark Curse you came without your child...that must pain you, no?"

"What would you know about the curse?" The other woman spoke through gritted teeth now, fireball sparking a little higher of a flame in response. It was clear that the Queen's magic was fueled by her emotions and could get away from her sometimes.

She stifled a chuckle at the spunk the woman had, perking one brow at her in surprise, "Rumplestiltskin never told you?"

"Told me what?!" The Queen snapped now, body rigid. She was quickly reaching her breaking point and it gave her a rush to see the woman's composure crumbling so deliciously.

"I created the Dark Curse," Fiona leaned in and spoke in a near whisper, watching the realization play over the beautiful olive skinned features of her opponent.

"You..." The Evil Queen's lips parted as she stared back at her, hand with the fireball shaking now, "It came from you?!" Her voice turned into a low growl with the last couple of words.

"Yes," She smirked, seeing the rage inside of the Queen reach it's boiling point before she raised her hand containing the fireball and hurled it towards her. Alexandra responded immediately, lifting her own black lace gloved hands and activating her fairy magic, sending the fireball back in the direction it came.

"You bitch," The Queen ducked, barely missing the sparks as she stumbled forward, throwing her hands towards Fiona. Suddenly she felt her feet being taken out from underneath her when the Queen's magic threw her backwards in the air. Wincing was inevitable when her back hit a tree, sliding down the trunk of it to the ground in a disgraceful plop.

"I didn't force you to use it," She hissed once she'd caught her breath, angry with herself for letting the woman get the upper hand. The curse came from her but she never forced the royal to do anything with it. That was between she and Rumple. "Take some accountability for your actions, Your Majesty."

The Queen was charging towards her with murderous intent, prompting her to get back on her feet despite her aching body, "Do you know what your curse did to my life?! I lost my son, I lost everything because I thought your stupid curse was the answer all those years ago and now I am paying for it!"

"If you had the ability to create a curse so lethal you'd have done it yourself," Fiona seethed at her, losing control of her own anger. "How can I be to blame for your incompetence?"

"How's this for incompetence?" The Queen raised a hand towards her in a cupping manner and she felt her own breath being restricted. Fiona grabbed the her wrists in response, jerking the brunette off balance though her grip of her neck remained as it was, cutting off circulation.

Luckily her opponent had lost her footing on the fallen leaves of the forest bank, bringing Fiona with her as she fell. Their bodies rolled together, the Evil Queen's death grip on her neck never leaving as they grunted and winced while striking rocks and sticks on the way down the incline.

They landed in the valley on a bed of damp earth and fallen leaves, Fiona on her back and the Queen on top of her. The royal wasted no time as she brought herself to sit up, lip bloodied from their tumble down. It looked delicious when she smirked, making the blood trickle down her chin and her own stomach tingle. _Or maybe that was the suffocation._

"You can't kill me," Fiona managed to choke out, reaching her own hand up to thread her fingers through the Evil Queen's disheveled up-do and gripping it tightly. She let some of the dark magic seep from her fingertips to the skull of the woman on top of her, seeing her expression flicker briefly with pain.

"Why is that?" The Queen kept her hips sitting on the Dark Fairy's, hand still pinning her neck down but lessening the grip enough so she had enough air to talk.

"I'm the only one who knows how to reverse it," She hissed up at her, twisting her fingers in the woman's hair and watching her wince as they continued the standoff, "I'm the only one who knows how to get you back to Storybrooke and your son, and away from this place and this Wicked Witch drama."

"You can reverse it?" The woman on-top of her was taken aback by the revelation, her grip loosening just enough to give her a chance to fight back. Her gloved hands gripped the Queen's delicate wrists during her moment of distraction, rolling them again until the woman was underneath her, head thudding against the ground enough to make her moan. "Bitch," She growled, bringing attention to the scar that marred her upper lip in an intriguing way.

"I could turn you into dust with a snap of my fingers, you know," Fiona grinned malevolently down at the woman as she pinned her hands above her head, pressing her hips firmly down on the curvier woman underneath her. "My magic is the darkest around and you..." She leered down at the Evil Queen who glared up at her. The blood from her lip had spread over her perfect teeth, causing the snarl she wore even more attractive, "...you found love in the other realm..you developed a weakness..."

"Tell me how to reverse this curse," The Queen seethed and glared up at her, seeming to ignore her barbs as she struggled to pull her hands out of Fiona's grip, though she held on firmly with the help of magic. "Tell me!"

"If I help you, you help me," Fiona smiled wickedly, bringing her face down just inches from the Evil Queen, "Deal?"

Much to her surprise the Queen flipped them with fierce force undoubtedly procured by magic since her frame was much too small to do it naturally. Fiona exhaled sharply when her head cracked off of the hard ground and the woman looked down at her once again with wild eyes. Her chest heaved in her tight corseted dress, breasts heaving out and blood still dripping from the busted lip.

She struggled against the magic that pinned her down as the Queen stared down at her for a moment before speaking, "I've learned my lesson making deals with darkness," She gave a cold smile, showing bloodstained teeth once more, "I will never help you."

"Shame, we could've made such a team," She purred up at the woman with an intense gaze, effectively distracting her while she internally struggled against the magic restraining her. The Queen's eyes darkened in response, whether it was from the temptation of darkness or lust, she wasn't sure. A growl escaped her lips when she finally overpowered the royal's magic, rising into a sitting position to retaliate only to be suddenly surrounded by a cloud of purple smoke. When it cleared, the haunted Queen was _gone_.

* * *

 **Storybrooke; Present Day**

Regina's stomach tied itself in knots as it often did whenever she was about to be around Emma. Hook's proposal seemed to play on repeat in her mind, making a familiar bitterness creep into her heart. One part of her was happy for her dearest friend that she was happy. The more selfish part of her was jealous and though she didn't want to admit it, _heartbroken._

She didn't know why those feelings had to bubble to the surface now after she'd suppressed them for years. There was no denying the chemistry between she and Emma when she first came to town. While she had despised her in the beginning, there was always a sexual tension pulling them towards one another. For years they had toyed with the line between friendly and flirting, neither one of them brave enough to take the leap.

Then other people became involved. Regina grew resentful at Emma's budding relationship with Hook when it began and had distanced herself from the Savior for a while. The missing year happened and then she had found herself with Robin shortly after. It was evident that the men in their lives had increased the distance between them, but she'd never lost hope that they would eventually find their way to each other.

But now Robin was dead and the woman she wanted to be with was marrying someone else. _Maybe it was her own fault, though?_ She'd been cold and distant to Emma in the beginning. She'd been smart-assed and aloof when she got with Hook. Regina knew she wasn't an easy person to get along with or tolerate and her walls were impossibly high. _Maybe that's the reason Emma never made a move?_

 _Was it too late?_ She wasn't sure but she did know that seeing Emma and Hook together made her feel like someone was slowly ripping her heart apart. _Didn't Emma know that she was too good for that pathetic pirate?_ Regina shook the thoughts from her head, steeling her emotions as she opened the door to the station and made her way in. She'd called this meeting to discuss Zelena's run in with the Black Fairy earlier that morning and put a game plan in motion. _Not to deal with relationship drama._

"Regina, hey," Emma turned from her filing cabinet where she was thumbing through folders, "The rest of them should be here in just a few minutes."

She swallowed at the awkward tension that lingered whenever they were together alone, "Before they get there maybe we should discuss it. You know how your parents are, sometimes they won't do what needs to be done if it's at all questionable."

"What are you saying?" Swan's lips pursed slightly and her head tilted to the side as she turned more towards her, "I'm not going to go dark again or use any dark magic. I'm the Savior, I have to win the final battle with my light magic."

"I know that," She frowned and found herself disappointed that Emma would think she was trying to sway her, "I just meant that we need to discuss what should happen in case things go awry."

"I'm going to win," Emma replied defiantly, crossing her red leather jacket clad arms over her chest in a stance that was so her, "It isn't going to go awry. I was born to fight this battle. Good always wins, right?"

She expelled a deep breath and pressed her lips together, glancing back at the blonde with a stern expression, "I mean if something happens and she gets the upper-hand, I'm going to step in."

"That's not how the battle is supposed to go-" The sheriff began to protest before she cut her off again.

"What's the matter, are you afraid you'll have to share the spotlight?" Regina raised a brow, unable to hold back the petty dig, "If she's beating you Emma I'm going to step in and take her on. It will distract her enough to give you a chance to take her own once and for all."

"I don't fight dirty," She disagreed, prompting Regina to roll her eyes at the Charming coming through in her.

"Well you'd better because that's all she knows," She clenched her jaw in irritation, "We're wasting time, I want to have this conversation before they get here. As I was saying, I'm going to step in and I want you to do whatever is necessary to win and keep our family safe..."

Emma stared back at her knowingly, her brows furrowing in a way that let Regina know she understood, "Nope. No way. You're not sacrificing yourself to help me win a fight."

"If that's what it takes to keep our son safe, yes I am!" Regina raised her voice, taking a step closer to the sheriff firmly. She'd thought long and hard about this and it was the only logical thing to do.

"We shouldn't even be talking like this. Nothing is going to happen!" Emma's eyes widened, "I'm going to fight the final battle and I'm going to win."

"You don't know the Dark Fairy like I do, Emma," She frowned back at her, feeling the tension threatening to bubble over between them, "She plays underhanded tricks, she'll do anything it takes to win. We have to be prepared for whatever goes wrong and I'm telling you now that it should be me who steps in."

"But what about Henry?" Emma's expression hardened and her lips pressed into a thin line.

"I'm doing this for him!" Regina replied exasperatedly, "Henry has David and Snow and you and...the pirate," She added begrudgingly.

"Why?" The blonde shook her head quickly before looking her in the eye again, "You've overcome so much, you've redeemed yourself. Why would you sacrifice your life when you're just getting a fresh start?!"

"For you!" Regina blurted out before she could stop herself, blinking away the emotion that glossed her eyes and constricted her throat. She swallowed at the lump forming while Emma stared back at her silently, a curious expression on her face. All of the feelings she'd suppressed seemed to overflow from her at once, bursting through the floodgates she had in place. _It was now or never._

"For you, Emma," She repeated as she took a step towards her, struggling to keep her voice from breaking, "I love you-"

"Regina..." The sheriff's voice was small when she caught the meaning, looking back at Regina with a cautious expression.

"Let me finish," Regina swallowed hard, determined to keep going and get this off of her chest, "I should've done something about this sooner, I've loved you for a long time now..." She began, seeing Emma's own throat work as she swallowed herself. "I know you've felt it to, I can tell by the way we fight and the way we look out for each other. You gave me a chance when no one else did and you helped me redeem myself. We have a son together, we share a family. You can't marry him-"

"It's too late, Regina," Emma said in a gentle tone that instantly made a cold shot of dread shoot through her.

"It's not too late," Her tone was almost pleading now and she hated herself for it, but she couldn't stop, "Tell me you don't still have feelings for me. You're too good for Killian. I understand you, Emma. We're more alike than we care to admit and I know you love me, too."

Emma stared back at her as if she were struggling for a response, making Regina's stomach do flips. Her heart was pounding in her ears and she'd never felt as vulnerable as she did right now, baring her soul to the person she'd loved for years now. The chatter of the rest of the group coming down the hall from the main entrance threatened to cut their conversation short as the blonde hesitated.

"Emma, say something," She whispered pleadingly, "Tell me you feel the same way."

The sheriff shoved her hands into her back pockets before glancing up at her with an apologetic expression, "Regina, I'm so sorry but...no."


	3. Chapter 3

_thanks for the feedback on the story, i'm so glad you all are into this idea :) these chapters will stick pretty close to canon until the end of the season - so the first chapters are the POV of regina and fiona during the last few eps. I'll try not to repeat any of the scenes we've seen, but give insight to how each woman was feeling afterwards or in between what we saw. please review if you're still reading xxx_

* * *

 **Storybrooke**

"What's up with Regina? Is there something else bothering here?" Snow's failed attempt at speaking quietly echoed down the hall after Regina stormed out of the police station.

"Does that one ever need a reason to be cross?" Killian's attempt at humor made Regina clench her fist and refrain from turning around to go back in and blast him with a fireball. She faintly heard Emma scold him for it as she reached the main doors and blew through them, but it didn't make her feel any better.

Keeping her cool in the meeting with those idiots after her conversation with Emma was by far one of the hardest things she'd ever had to do. Luckily she had plenty of practice pretending she was fine when her heart was broken. She would be okay as long as she had an enemy or an imminent threat to focus on instead. Keeping her son and his family safe was the most important thing to her. There wasn't time to let her heart get in the way.

At least that's what she kept telling herself. The knot in her throat formed all the same, threatening to make her eyes well with embarrassing tears as she narrowed them towards the afternoon sun on her way down the sidewalk. She just needed to go home and gather her thoughts. Then she'd be okay. She had to be okay.

Emma's pity laced expression during the entire meeting kept flashing in her mind, making her stomach churn with disgust. How could she have been so stupid to think her feelings for the woman would be reciprocated? Emma had simply been co-parenting with her, had been tolerating her for Henry's sake. How could Emma ever love the woman who destroyed her chance at a normal upbringing? Who murdered her grandfather? Who tore her parents apart any chance she got? Who tried to keep her from her son?

Self loathing threatened to swallow her whole as she made her way up the path to her home. Her empty home. Despite whatever she did to try to redeem herself it would always be empty. She knew Henry preferred it at Emma and Hook's. What teenage boy wouldn't? He had a degenerate pirate who encouraged bad behavior and a much more relaxed mother there. What did she have to offer him here?

She turned the key in the lock and let herself in, letting out a breath at the cold emptiness. Zelena was over with Robin every now and then but even they had their issues. Her son was with his biological mother. Her soulmate was dead. The woman she loved was getting married to someone other than her. She shook her head and sipped out of her heels, sighing as she aimlessly wandered through the downstairs.

It should have been easier. She had come face to face with the evil part of herself. She'd given the Evil Queen a chance at happiness with the Robin she wished had been her own. Regina thought she had a grip on her own self worth, that she was finally at a place where she could love herself and be content with that. It wasn't that having a partner was her happy ending, but being alone wasn't, either.

Everyone in her life had someone to share the special moments with. Had her past made that impossible for her to have herself? She'd redeemed herself in every way that she knew how. When any problem arose, she was always willing to sacrifice whatever was needed to right it. The problem was most likely an indirect result of her past transgressions, anyways.

Maybe the most she was allotted was the chance to redeem herself. Maybe that was what fate held for her after everything she had done. Maybe having a special someone was too far out of reach, reserved for only those with truly good hearts like the people around her. That was the only logical conclusion she could come to when thinking through her track record with love. First losing Daniel multiple times, losing Robin more than once, and now the sheriff.

It was a mistake to put herself out there to Emma. She knew better all along. It was the reason she had held back for so many years. Their recent time alone together when the Evil Queen trapped them in the land of mirrors had drudged up those suppressed feelings, though. Regina had realized then just how much she relied on Emma; that they were already partners in many ways. She'd let it make her act foolishly; to listen to her heart instead of her logic.

She stopped and swallowed hard when she stepped into the kitchen and her eyes zeroed in on the photo of she, Emma and Henry pinned to the refrigerator. They could've been a family; a true family. A bitter chuckle escaped her throat at the irony of their twisted fairytale. The Evil Queen pining over the Savior she tried to destroy for years. The Savior who had found her own happy ending with a washed up pirate with a drinking problem.

Emma's relationship with Hook was part of the reason she'd been so desperate to bring Robin back from the alternate reality. She wasn't stupid, she knew he was not the Robin that she loved. She knew it would end badly. But she'd been grieving him still, and Emma even told her she should bring him back, further enforcing Regina's belief that the Savior did not reciprocate her love and that she should move on. And who better to move on with than the man she'd found happiness with before? Except it wasn't the same and she'd made a show of herself to everyone in the town bringing him back and trying to make him her boyfriend.

Regina shook her head and attempted to get a grip on her self pitying, but those goddamned green eyes kept flashing in her mind. Eyes that she'd once despised but always found breathtaking. The way Emma looked at her with such belief and support had been a new concept for her. No one had ever had her back like that, no one had ever cared about her happiness like Emma had. She'd let it go to her head, though. She'd let herself longingly believe that Emma could feel more for her or ever see her in that way.

She grabbed a tumbler and her bourbon decanter before sitting down at the counter and pouring herself a glass. She'd allow herself one afternoon to sulk about Emma's rejection and then she'd compartmentalize it and pretend it never happened. It made her sick to think of Emma telling Snow about their conversation and she prayed she didn't. It made her anxious enough to know how desperate and lonely this made her seem that she'd beg Emma to be with her. She didn't need Snow's pitying stares and hope speeches on top of it.

So, no, she couldn't act the least bit bothered about Emma in front of anyone. If nobody noticed the awkward tension between she and the sheriff, then no one would ask questions. And if no one asked questions, then she wouldn't have to face the humiliating fact she'd been turned down by the woman she loved. She'd take this one afternoon to drink and wallow in self pity and then she'd do what she always did. Move on. Alone.

* * *

 **Storybrooke; Dwarf Mines**

Fiona smirked to herself as she marveled the black crystal in her palm, turning it in inspection as she replayed her run in with Regina and her idiot sister. The redhead really had no clue who she was dealing with. She had to admit it felt good throwing Regina around a bit today. The Evil Queen had gone soft since she'd first met her and it served her right. Her connection with the heroes in this town is what made her weak; was what prevented her from holding up her end of the deal they made back in the Enchanted Forest.

Her wicked sister had walked into the trap she'd set perfectly. Zelena was so eager to prove herself to the rest of the idiots in this town that it made Fiona chuckle in amusement at how easy manipulated she was. This little adventure was turning out to be much easier than she'd anticipated. They were all so weak and troubled with morals; soon she'd win the final battle and be free of the dark realm once and for all.

She sat down in her chair, still toying with the black crystal in her hand. Regina's expression when she'd shown up had been priceless. Knowing her and her need to keep up appearances, she already knew Regina would not want their time in the Enchanted Forest known. But she also knew of Regina's need to get the first dig in, so she delighted in taking that away from her by acting like she hadn't known her before.

That perfectly arched brow shot up when she addressed her as the Evil Queen and acted as if they'd never spoken prior. She watched Regina's sharp jaw tense as she accepted the challenge; well aware this was a game of defiance to not acknowledge their own unresolved issues. It was something that would get under both of their skin, the other refusing to budge and admit that they still harbored feelings over the past. But Fiona planned to win this battle of the wills.

Their first encounter in this realm wasn't as fun as it should've been though. Regina didn't seem as if she were firing on all cylinders and it made Fiona wonder what was going on with her. Even though her own magic was darker, Regina's usually put up a pretty good fight. but today she was off her game, unfocused, almost hazy. If she had to guess, it almost seemed as if the mayor had been drinking. Therefore throwing her around was too easy to truly be fun. She liked spitfire Regina that fought like a hellcat and gave it her all.

However, she'd accomplished her goal and with Zelena's magic she'd be able to do what was needed to win the final battle and break free of her hell. She didn't have time to think about Regina or why she seemed to have lost her spark. Regina was the reason she was here in the first place. If she'd only held up her end of the bargain, it wouldn't have taken Fiona so long to get here and she could've killed the Savior before Regina ever had to share her son with that woman.

* * *

 **Enchanted Forest; The Missing Year**

Regina let the tears flow freely down her face in the privacy of her own bed chamber; a weakness she did not allow herself often. She projected her memories of her son from her mind to the wall across the room, playing them like an old time movie reel. It was the anniversary of the day she adopted him and she hadn't left her room since his birthday that had just passed. Snow had knocked and tried to get her to open up but she'd kept her room sealed with magic. Someone, she imagined Granny, had been leaving her meals right outside the door. She generally took the decanter of wine and left the rest, only pecking around on some fruit when she felt the rare hunger pain.

She just wanted to be left alone. No one in this castle knew how she was feeling. Snow and Charming had an idea, they'd just had to give up Emma again, but they had each other. They had a new baby coming soon; a new little life that could help heal their hearts and distract them from their pain. She had no one. Henry was the only family she had, the only person she could call her own. Yet he was in another realm with his biological mother and never even knew she existed.

He didn't know she was the one who soothed his fears after a nightmare and kissed his boo boos after putting a bandaid on them. He didn't have any memory of the way they used to cuddle in her bed on Sunday mornings or make pancakes together. It was just the two of them and they'd been happy. But, as all things in her life, he was ripped away from her on more than one occasion and now she'd just had to give him up to save him from the evil deeds of her past. At least now she'd never have to go through losing anyone again. She had no one left.

"It never stops, does it? The missing them..." A voice startled her, sending a shot of rage through her chest at the intrusion. When she turned her head towards the balcony she saw the Dark Fairy standing in the doorway, head tilted to the side watching her private moment.

"How dare you come into my chamber unannounced?" Regina snarled and tried to act more sober than she actually was. She'd been drinking for days and couldn't really tell if she was slurring her words or not, "Did I not make myself clear I want nothing to do with your deal?"

"I'm here because we need each other," Fiona approached the Evil Queen's bed, stopping just a few feet from it. She wasn't exquisitely dressed and made up like she was during their first encounter in the forest, instead wearing a black, silky robe with her long hair hanging loosely over her shoulders. The Queen was clearly drunk and miserable, she'd sensed that much for days now. Her heavy energy radiated from the castle, drawing Fiona to her. "I know what it is like to lose a child."

Regina scoffed and rolled her eyes, downing a gulp of wine before tossing the goblet off of her bed, "You expect me to believe that you were ever a mother?"

"Are you saying I'm too dark and twisted?" Fiona raised an eyebrow mockingly at the Queen, pacing slowly near the fainting couch not far from Regina's bed.

"Get out," The Queen growled as she reached for the bottle of wine on her nightstand, "Now!" She was still breathtaking, even when she wasn't made up. Maybe even more so.

"Peculiar you claim to love this child so much, yet you're turning down a chance to have him as your own again," Fiona taunted her, seeing dark, glossy eyes flash her way, glittering angrily. "I can help you undo this and get you back with your son, but only with your help."

"Just like that?" Regina laughed bitterly and shook her head, knowing better than to trust her. It all sounded so simple and effortless, just like Rumple had made it sound to her when he'd groomed her to cast the initial curse. "I know better than to fool with your kind."

"Don't you mean our kind?" Fiona propped herself against the back of the fainting couch, watching the Queen work through a bevvy of emotions. "What happened to you? Why aren't you angry anymore at what you've lost?" She narrowed her eyes, "You've lost more than anyone in this castle yet you let them treat you like a monster because you've made mistakes. You're forever taking the blame, yet expected to do the messy things and make the tough decisions that the heroes don't want to be held accountable for."

"You don't know anything about my life," Regina grit out, hating how the Fairy's words were affecting her. She felt the coiling anger in her stomach, felt her resolve lessening. "I'm merely cleaning up the mess I made out of these people's lives."

"What about the mess they made of yours?" Fiona nearly growled, angry at this woman who she could barely consider more than a stranger at this point but already understood. She'd heard of this woman's legend, of her wrath and fury. This was not the great and feared sorceress she'd been told stories of. This was a woman who'd given up her fire and let the heroes beat her down from their ivory towers. "Are you going to keep paying for sins you've already paid for or are you going to fight to get your son back?" She challenged, seeing the woman bristle and look away from her.

Regina knew she was caving. She hated what she'd become since they were brought back to this realm. Half of the castle pitied her, the other half still considered her evil and in need of punishing. The Charmings made her nauseous and bitterly jealous to be around. She had no one, had nothing to lose. "What do we have to do?" She turned her head, staring at the Dark Fairy with empty, dark eyes.

Fiona smirked, biting down on her bottom lip at how sexy the woman looked with that spark of evil in her expression, "Welcome back, Your Majesty."


	4. Chapter 4

_Still reading? Lemme know xxx_

* * *

 **Storybrooke; Regina's Vault**

"See you tomorrow, Sis?" Zelena glanced back and forth between Emma and Regina, undoubtedly sensing the tension lingering between them after they'd destroyed her magic. Emma seemed to be focused on her boots and Regina hesitated to look away from cleaning up the work table, neither one of them offering to leave first

"Uh, yes, of course," Regina looked up from gathering the spell books in her arms and forced a smile at her sister before turning to the bookshelf of her vault dismissively.

Zelena's footsteps could be heard ascending the stairs by the clicking of her heels, but the familiar sound of boots did not follow. Irritation and anger bubbled within Regina when she turned to see the sheriff still standing on the other side of the table, hands stuffed in her back pockets.

"Can I help you, Miss Swan?" She steeled her emotions and sniped at her with merely a glance in her direction. One half of her wanted to lash out at Emma and the other half of her wanted to pretend she wasn't fazed in the slightest.

"Don't you think we should talk about what happened?" The blonde gave an awkward shrug of her shoulders as if she were embarrassed to even bring it up.

Regina gave her a fake smile as she pressed her hands against the table between them, "You mean how you just promised to raise another child with me if something happened to my sister? Yes, perhaps we should discuss that."

"That's not what I meant and you know it," Emma stared back at her, one brow raised a little higher than the other. _Why couldn't she of just left her alone? Why did she insist on making this worse?_

"As far as that's concerned there is nothing to discuss," Regina glared at her, hoping the hurt she felt was concealed by the anger, "You had no right to make that promise to Zelena."

"What are you talking about?" Emma let out an exasperated sigh and threw her hands up, "How could you possibly be mad over that?"

"Because you don't have the right to make decisions that affect me!" She snapped, "I gave you a chance to have a say in those kinds of decisions and you rejected me," She hissed the last part to keep her voice from cracking, "So no, you can't vow to do something like help me raise a child, you don't have a say in my future."

"I wanted you to know I'd help you. That nothing has to change between us. We can still be a team," Swan argued, still not getting the significance. _She could be as thick as her parents, sometimes._

"No, we can't, Emma! You're getting married to someone else. Don't you think you should be a little more focused on being a team with your future husband?!"

"Look you're my closest friend Regina and I'm sorry that the wires got crossed somewhere but you can't be mad at me for having someone just because-" Emma paused, face flushed with anger as she appeared to contemplate finishing her sentence.

"Because what, Miss Swan?" Regina gave a bitter laugh, "Don't be a coward. Finish your sentence," She taunted, leaning over the table challengingly.

"Because you're alone," Emma grit out through clenched teeth and a hard stare, sending rage through Regina.

"You think that's what this is about?! That I'm jealous of you and Hook so I'm trying to come between the two of you?" She asked, vibrating with rage now. How dare she come in here and act so callous about their relationship? Like Regina was some delusional, lonely woman who imagined the chemistry they shared.

"Why else would you say something now? When everything is going so well and I'm finally happy!" Emma's eyes were wide now and Regina scoffed, seeing the hint of fear in her expression.

"You're scared," She tilted her head to the side looking through the sheriff and seeing the younger, orphan Emma, "You're pretending like this is all one-sided because you don't want to admit to yourself you have feelings for me, too. Because you're scared if you did and if anyone knew that it would shatter this perfect little life you've created. That your parents would be disappointed in you. And you don't want to go back to being that misfit that you were growing up. You're scared of us, you're scared because you know it was real and you're scared of being any more different than you already are."

"Fuck you," Emma spat back at her, eyes welling with tears and throat working to swallow a knot of emotion.

"Fuck you!" Regina's voice cracked with emotion, making her even angrier, "You made your choice, now live with it."

She waited until she heard the vault door open and shut as Emma left before sitting down abruptly on an old trunk, letting her facade dissolve.

* * *

 **Enchanted Forest; Missing Year**

"How's the studying going?" A posh accent purred near Regina's ear before her peripheral vision caught black smoke dissipating in the air around her. She felt the Dark Fairy's chest brush lightly against her back and she rolled her eyes at the woman's flair for dramatics, though the intent was not lost on her.

"It would go faster without you constantly dropping in," Regina deadpanned without looking up from her book, remaining where she stood in the more private corner of the large library. The desk in front of her was stacked with books she was looking through for answers; anything to keep her mind off of the reality of her situation.

Fiona smirked to herself, prowling around Regina before backing up against the desk and lifting herself up onto it. She crossed one leg over the other, watching the Queen flip through pages and pretend to ignore her, "You like my visits, darling."

"I like silence when I'm working, _dear_ ," Regina mocked her with her own term of endearment, "What do you want?"

"Just to see how it's going," Fiona eyed her curiously before grinning, "You know I don't have time for research with going back and forth between here and the Dark Realm, snatching babies and whatnot. But you cast my Dark Curse before, you know my magic better than anyone. What's the delay?"

"Because I know how to get most, almost all of the ingredients we need to create a duplicate, but there's one I won't be able to procure," She clenched her jaw as emotion threatened to rise within her and she deflected her gaze onto the next book, flopping it open and ignoring the Dark Fairy's presence.

"Ah yes yes, the heart of the thing you love most," Fiona sighed, watching the Queen tensely flip through dusty, ancient pages, "But you already knocked off your Poppy. Tragic," She joked before seeing the Queen look up from the book with wild eyes.

"You'll refrain from talking about my father," Regina grit through her teeth, already on edge and wanting to snap on someone. "You know nothing about him."

"Well he couldn't have been that great of a father if he let you be wed off to that monster Leopold," Fiona shrugged in her frank way, knowing how much it grated the other woman's nerves. She'd known of Leopold before his marriage to Regina, when he was scouring the land for a wife. Judging from the way Regina avoided the subject of her marriage to him, she assumed it was not a happy one.

"My father loved me," Regina spun around to glare at the Dark Fairy then, "He was one of the few people who loved me and I killed him. Keep that in mind the next time you feel the need to speak on something that is none of your business. If I can kill my own father, imagine what I can do to you."

"Hmm.." Fiona sucked her bottom lip in between her teeth and saw the way Regina glanced at her mouth while she did so, "So the problem here is the thing you love most is not in this realm."

"No, he's not," She said in a softer tone, turning back to the book on the table, "Which means I need to find a substitute...some way around this part of the curse...so we can work to reverse it."

"Well darling I may know of a way around the heart part of this curse, at least enough to duplicate it for reversal," Fiona sighed and pressed her hands against the edge of the desk, leaning on her arms, "...But, that would require more children. Remember, your end of the deal?"

Regina let out a breath and pressed her lips into a firm line, refusing to look her way, "I told you I would find you orphans when we get to that point."

"Oh no, my Queen," Fiona reached out, running her hand over one of Regina's that rested on the pages of a book, feeling the energy that radiated between them, "It will take a lot more Dark Fairy Dust to make up for the missing heart. These children can not simply be orphans anymore, they need to be children that will be missed. Ones that are loved."

"That's cruel," Regina glanced up at her, voice level and low, "I did not agree to that."

"And I didn't make a deal with the Evil Queen only for her to prove how soft she's gone," Fiona hissed back, locking eyes with her, "You cannot expect me to work my magic with one very important ingredient missing and not get your own hands dirty. This will benefit both of us. You find me children to mine for Dark Fairy dust, I procure it for our use, we tether your sister to take my place in the Dark Realm so we can reverse this and to the realm you speak of."

"And what do you want with Storybrooke?" Regina narrowed her eye skeptically.

"I have some ties to it," Fiona offered, removing her hand from the Queen's and putting her own guard up, "Will you hold up your end of the deal or not?"

Regina looked down to the pile of books, thinking of all of the time and effort she'd put into this spell reversal to get back to her son. Her heart hurt at the mere mention of Henry. She was physically tired and achey every waking moment from the heartbreak. Could she really do this to another mother? Rip a child from them to see her own again?

"Your son would never have to know how you did it," Fiona offered, seeing the struggle playing out on Regina's beautiful features. She was at war with her emotions; guilt, heartbreak and longing all swarmed within her at once.

"Why can't you find your own children to steal?" She shook her head with a huff, "Isn't that the entire reason for your miserable existence now?"

"I guess so," She frowned slightly that the dig from the Queen bothered her, usually not letting anyone get close enough to truly get under her skin, "But the people of this realm are starting to recognize me. See, when you take too many children from one realm, people start to notice. My legend makes it harder and harder for me, and I only have so long outside of the Dark Realm to obtain a child before I am pulled back."

Regina rolled her eyes as she turned her head towards the Dark Fairy, sensing there was something she was holding back, "Why not just try a different realm?"

"I have certain attachments to this one," Fiona shrugged, averting her eyes from the Queen's stare. Much like Regina's, she knew her own eyes were very telling despite what the rest of her face said. Eye contact felt too vulnerable and made it harder to keep up her shield in discussions such as this.

"Care to elaborate?" Regina gazed at her curiously, seeing her shift uncomfortably for the very first time. The woman had never hesitated in her presence before and she could tell she'd touched a topic she did not want to speak on.

"There is someone I watch over here, during my visits," Fiona met Regina's gaze, forcing herself to be expressionless, keeping her chin up defiantly.

"Whats that? The infamous Dark Fairy has a weakness?" She couldn't help but taint her, knowing if the tables were turned that she'd do the same.

She merely gave Regina a dazzling smile, reaching out to brush her thumb over Regina's chin affectionately, "Oh darling, call me Fiona."

* * *

 **Storybrooke; Present**

So this was why the great Evil Queen and mayor of this realm was off of her game. She was in love with the Savior. Fiona crossed her arms as she leaned against the building across from Granny's, seeing Regina slamming whiskey after whiskey in the corner booth by the window.

It had been a while now since she'd followed her here and she was sure Regina was plastered. She hasn't meant to witness the fight between the queen and the savior in the vault, but she'd been angry over they stunt they pulled with Zelena's magic and had set out looking for them.

Regina's emotions stopped her from interrupting though, hearing the raised voices when she'd approached the top of the stairs down to the basement of the stone structure. She'd heard that strain in the Queen's voice before; the despair and the loneliness. It mirrored her own so beautifully it caused her to hesitate just long enough to eavesdrop some more.

Anger burned deep in her belly at Emma's accusation that Regina was jealous of her repationship. How could anyone who knew Regina say that to her? She knew the vulnerability it must've taken for her to admit her love to the sheriff in the first place and it made her boil that the stupid blonde had thrown it back in her face.

She let out a sigh, reminding herself that she shouldn't care about the mayor of this town. She'd written her off in the Enchanted Forest when she proved no use to her, after all. Still here she stood, dressed in the odd peasant looking clothing of this time to blend in, spying on the Queen as she stumbled out of Granny's diner, digging through her clutch.

"Looking for these?" Fiona smirked as she crossed the street, giving the woman a little wave to get her attention before holding up the keys to Regina's car she had procured with magic.

"Give those back," Regina growled, stumbling forward when she looked up to narrow her eyes at Fiona.

"What? So you can die in a fiery metal box?" Fiona sighed, dangling the keys on her pointer finger, "Need I remind you what happened with your horse and carriage that night we found magic mushrooms in the Enchanted Forest?"

Regina snorted in an unladylike manner at the memory before drawing her brows down again when she remembered she was angry at Fiona, "Why am I even talking to you? You pretended like we'd never met down in the mines."

"So you want me to tell the town about our past?" She grinned as she watches Regina struggle to not sway on her heels, leaning back against her Mercedes.

"No!" She snapped back at her, taking a step forward in an uncoordinated attempt to snatch the keys from Fiona.

"You really forget how small you are, don't you darling?" Fiona laughed, raising her hand in the air and watching Regina growl when she couldn't reach the keys. "I'll get you home. You can come retrieve your metal carriage on wheels in the morning."

"I can get myself home," Regina raised her chin defiantly, one hand on her hip to try to steady herself, bringing her other hand up in a theatric display as she tried to magic herself away. She frowned when nothing came from her hand and then groaned a little as she realized drinking did sometimes affect her capabilities.

"Yeah, the last time you tried to magic under the influence we ended up in Prince Charming and Snow White's wardrobe," She rolled her eyes as if she were bored, "Not something I want to experience again, Regina."

It was Fiona's turn to snort after her black smoke dissipated and they stood outside of Regina's mansion. The feisty mayor's chin was jut out in defiance and her full lips puckered as she crossed her arms, pouting. She smirked as she looked down to find Regina's house key on the key chain, taking a few steps forward to unlock the house.

"Stop acting like a baby," Fiona raised an eyebrow at Regina who had remained where she was. _So, she was still just as stubborn_.

"Why are you even here?" She half huffed, half slurred as she stomped through the threshold, her movements so animated from the liquor that it was amusing. "Mad because we thwarted your little plan by destroying Zelena's magic?" She flashed a challenging grin then, kicking off one of her heels and sending it sliding across the foyer as she hung to the stair bannister for support.

Fiona followed her into the dark home, rolling her eyes with a half smirk, "You know I'm not happy about that but I'll find away around it. But what I wanna know is why are you even helping Emma?"

"She's my sons mother she-" Regina frowned and kicked off her other heel, letting out a sigh, "You wouldn't understand."

"Oh, I think I do," She let out a breath and came over, wrapping an arm around Regina's waist to begin helping her up the stairs, "You opened up to her and she turned you down. You're mad at her but you still care about her and you feel obligated to help her."

"Were you eavesdropping on us earlier?" Regina's mouth dropped as she leaned into Fiona, "Why do you even care?"

"Because you don't have to be a casualty of this," Fiona grunted as she kept the Mayor upright despite her stumbling, "Which way is your room?"

"That way," Regina held up a finger as her head lolled a little, leaning nearly all of her way on Fiona. "I don't have a choice, Fion-ah. I can't let you h-hurt the people I," She hiccuped then, "Care about. My son, especially-"

"I wouldn't hurt Henry," Fiona looked down at her honestly as she turned her and watched her lean against edge of the bed. "You know I have to defeat the Savior to be free of the Dark Realm. It's like if someone asked you to give up your chance of escaping your marriage to Leopold. You wouldn't have. Freedom is all I want."

"It doesn't have to be this way," Regina frowned, tilting her head to look up at her. Fiona stood in black jeans and a black leather jacket, white tshirt underneath. She looked just as beautiful in modern clothing as she did her regal gowns, making Regina swallow hard.

"But it does," Fiona shrugged, reaching down to start undoing the buttons on Regina's shirt to get her ready for bed, "I can spare you and your son from what's coming, though. Let me get rid of Emma."

"No," Regina shook her head, breath quickening at Fiona's nimble fingers working the buttons of her silk shirt loose, "Nobody can know what I almost did during the missing year. If Henry knew I dabbled in darkness, that I almost-" She shook her head, "He'd never forgive me."

"So this is how it's going to be? Us pretending we don't know each other?" Fiona grazed her fingertips over Regina's shoulders as she pushed the shirt down her arms, biting her lip at the thin camisole the woman wore.

Regina looked up at the powerful woman standing over her, being anything but the malevolent, cold hearted evil everyone in the town thought she was. She had a soft side, a caring side that she'd shown before and tonight, mostly likely because Regina was drunk and she thought she wouldn't remember it tomorrow.

She ignored logic and reason for a moment, reaching up to grab the lapels of Fiona's leather jacket and drawing her in. She watched the woman's eyes flash in realization before they darkened and settled on her own lips, prompting her to tilt her chin up. Their lips met in a cautious, slow kiss, though the tingling of their magic interacting could still be felt. Fiona's hands reached up to cup Regina's face and deepen the kiss, causing the queen to moan softly in reply.

She whimpered in protest when the kiss was broken and Fiona pulled back just an inch, searching Regina's eyes, "You didn't answer me."

Regina stared back, her expression hardening with frustration at the situation she was placed in. She swallowed hard, drawing her eyebrows down into a frown, "Yes. As long as you're threatening my family, that's how it's going to be."

Fiona glanced down, letting her hands fall to her sides into her jacket pockets. Her head hung for a moment before she looked back up with a cold stare, "Very well, Your Majesty," She smiled bitterly, turning to stalk out of the pristine room with a renewed sense of anger and purpose.


	5. Chapter 5

_hi sorry for the wait :) rating goes to M here xxx_

* * *

 **Enchanted Forest; Missing Year**

"Goddamn it!" Regina snarled when the potion she mixed didn't take, throwing it against the cold stone wall of her bedroom chamber and watching it shatter on the floor. She and Fiona had been working for months to enact the curse reversal, gathering ingredients and doing research. Her anxiety over holding up her half of the deal was beginning to surface no matter how she pushed it down and she felt like she was at the end of her rope. Fiona would expect her to procure some children for her soon and there was a nagging feeling inside of her making her question whether or not she could do it after all she'd done to redeem herself for Henry.

"You're working too much," Fiona's lilted accent floated across the room from the balcony where she stood, shoulder propped against the doorway and smirking lazily at the Queen. She always had a knack for showing up at just the right times when Regina let her emotions bubble over. Fiona had told her countless times that she could feel her energy and it unnerved Regina for someone to be so in tune with what she tried to hide from the world. "You need a bit of fun."

"What I need is to figure out how to reverse this curse without a missing ingredient," She replied without so much as a look towards the fairy, for she already knew what would be gazing back at her. Dark, black eyes full of mischief, one corner of her plump lips pulled up smugly in a flirty grin, a slender figure slinking towards her.

"What you need is to let loose for a night," Fiona began to cross the room, donning only a simple, sleek black dress that was adorned by sparkling black jewels around the low cut collar. She had a circlet that was accented by the same jewels and her hair laid down her back. It fit her perfectly and they both knew it and what the intent of her wearing it tonight was. The woman radiated sexual energy and Regina could feel it as soon as they were in the same room together.

"Here?" Regina quirked an eyebrow sarcastically when she tilted her head sideways from her desk to look at the fairy, "And what does that entail? Drinking in a tavern with peasants or playing croquet in the courtyard?" She rolled her eyes in disgust.

"Something tells me you know how to get up to a bit of debauchery, Your Majesty," Fiona came up behind her then, grinning as she reached out to run her hands over Regina's hips before reaching forward with one hand and closing the spell-book in front of her, "One night. Then you can go back to researching and I'll go back to stealing children. One night of not thinking..."

Regina took a deep breath when she felt Fiona's hot breath near her ear, felt her body press up against her own and her hands resting on her hips. She looked down at her desk and groaned quietly under her breath. She'd been running herself ragged lately, wracking her brain and not being able to rest for she couldn't stop trying to think of ways to achieve their task. It had been so long since she had just forgotten the world and indulged in the more hedonistic side of life.

"I can't..." She replied quietly, feeling Fiona's lips brush against the skin of her neck. This was the kind of thing she wouldn't of thought twice over during her days as the Evil Queen. Back then she'd have had any woman or man she wanted without hesitation, would've thrown caution to the wind and went on a tirade of self destruction and indulgence. The darker path was so tempting, for it held so many pleasures she sorely missed.

"You're afraid," Fiona's hands gripped Regina's corseted waist, turning her around to face her. The Queen's expression was stormy with a mixture of lust and hesitation. Lust for the darkness. Hesitation to fall back into it.

"I'm not-" Regina grit her teeth together, the snarl on her red lips showcasing her scar so beautifully that Fiona wanted to lean in and bite it.

"Darling," She took a deep breath as her hands curved around Regina's waist, raking her gaze up her body and meeting her eyes, "The darkness is a part of you. It will always be a part of you. Remember how good it feels to lose control? To give into it and let it take over?"

"I do," She answered the fairy back through clenched teeth, standing stiffly in her arms, "That's why I can't cross that line. If I give into that side of myself tonight, who knows if I'll ever regain control. Look what I did the last time I let her take over."

"Her?" Fiona sucked her bottom lip between her teeth, arousal sparking in her dark eyes, "The Evil Queen?" She smiled in a way that could've been mistaken for sweet, but Regina recognized the hunger in it.

"When I'm unhappy I have to stay focused on my task at hand," Regina explained, tried to steady her breath as Fiona continued to run her hands over her waist and back soothingly, causing her to relax between the woman and the desk, "My first instinct when something or someone crosses me is to turn it or them to ash, to destroy everything in my path, but look where that got me last time. If I don't keep a clear head now, I'm afraid I'll lose control..."

"What if I told you..." Fiona smirked and ran a hand up the side of the Queen's defined jaw, admiring the beauty of her facial features, "...that with me you are safe to lose control for just one night...for I too have something...or someone...to stay focused for...and my darling, since I am not as troubled with the whole issue of morality as you are, I will help you indulge your darkness and relieve some of that burden on your shoulders, but in the morning, I will ensure that you return your focus the curse..."

Regina swallowed the lump in her throat, feeling her heart beat faster at the way Fiona looked down at her intensely. She felt the magnetic force of the darkness pulling her towards the woman, felt the fire of her touch every time she stroked a thumb over her cheekbone. A part of her, for some reason, believed that Fiona was dedicated to their curse reversal as much as she. There was something that the fairy held back, some reason other than just freeing herself from the darkness. Someone else that meant much to her. Regina could sense that for certain.

"Just this one night," She replied and saw Fiona break into a sexy smirk, causing her to grin back at her. Before another word was spoken after her consent, Regina found herself surrounded by nothing but black smoke emanating as the fairy's face came back into view. When the smoke disappeared it was still nearly pitch dark, save for the moon above and the soft glow of lightning bugs and other Enchanted Forest creatures in the deep woods.

"Come," Fiona took her hand, eyes glittering with mischief as she dragged her deeper into the valley of the forest. Regina's heart pounded in her ears as she began to see the tall trees surrounding them, bare of any bark or leaves. They looked to be dead but still standing proudly, the wood almost glowing in the moonlight as they ran through them. Their surroundings began to look much more sinister and the anticipation made her blood pump faster at the thought of their destination.

"Where are we going?" Regina panted when they stumbled to a stop among a field of dark flowers, seeing Fiona reach down to pick the bloom off of one. With one clench of her magical fingers she snapped something within the blossom of the black flower and tilted it to her lips, tipping it back and pouring the content onto her tongue.

Fiona didn't answer, just merely smirked at her as she threw the blossom on the forest ground, reaching down to grab a fistful of Regina's hair and jerk her lips up to hers. Regina growled at the rough treatment before the fairy had forced her tongue into her mouth. A moan ripped from her throat as their lips clashed and Fiona's tongue caressed her own. The taste of the flower's contents on Fiona's tongue assaulted her senses and she soon realized it had the same affects as a drug, giving a hot rush of euphoria through her body.

"Hmm," The Fairy purred into the Queen's mouth as she threaded her hand through her hair and tilted the woman's head to the side, being sure to give her an equal amount of the flower's magic. Her head began to spin delightfully when she heard the Queen moan as the drug started to work, both of them coming alive with the dark energy and lowering inhibitions. "Can the Evil Queen come out to play, Regina?" She whispered against her lips before biting down on the plump bottom one, tugging it playfully.

"Can you handle her?" Regina grinned fiercely against Fiona's lips as they lingered, foreheads touching briefly.

"Like no one has before," Fiona gave a smirk before grabbing the Queen's hand once more and lifting them both from the ground. Whatever they'd taken had lowered her inhibitions enough to relax, making her feel alive as they flew instead of anxious like she had been when Tink took her years ago. The Fairy led them soaring through the forest trees, dipping lower in the valleys, the cool breeze and anticipation for what was in store giving her goosebumps.

They neared the flickering of lights, floating lower to the ground as they came upon what looked like a run down village. Sinister sounding violin music floated out of it and she could feel the negative energy emanating from the people there. It sent a cold chill up her spine that was quite exhilarating, reminiscent of the days when she was on the warpath for Snow and took countless victims. "Where are we?"

"Things have changed since you ruled here, darling," Fiona glanced back at her as they flew slowly towards it, "They call it Death Valley. With no one here to keep order, the crime grew exponentially. The worst of them have become established here, as it's now safe for them to form communities with no threat of laws being enforced," She explained, bringing them down on their feet gently, standing in the shadows of one of the shacks. "Anything goes here."

"And you brought me here because?" She surveyed the place in the dark, seeing staggering drunks, loud music and sin everywhere she turned. It was vile and dark, unbridled evil looming in every corner. It was the energy she lived on for so many years.

"It's like our own personal playground, darling," Fiona flashed a grin before leading her into the village. Most everyone was dressed in black, some of them so well dressed and good looking that you wouldn't expect them to be here. They didn't seem to go noticed, staying in the shadows as best they could. "You see the problem you had before, why you were labeled 'evil', is that you took innocent lives. People down here are far from innocent...I like to come here when I have an evil itch to scratch."

Regina felt the adrenaline coursing through her veins, so familiar and so missed. The excitement she used to feel in her predatory states was unparalleled to any when she was in her true evil form. It was a rush like no other, especially coupled with the sexual tension and whatever Fiona gave her. Her spine tingled as they began to prowl down the alleys between the pitiful shacks, the sounds of arguing behind one door and sex the next.

"What if anyone recognizes us?" She asked the fairy as they crept through the night, approaching moving figures in the darkness ahead.

"They won't live to tell about it," Fiona smirked at her in a way that made excitement coil in her belly, blood pumping in her own ears. This woman was dangerous for her, that much she knew for certain. Perhaps it was because she was darkness embodied, just like she had been, and while that life had been self destructive it had also been brilliantly fun.

Fiona spotted a figure ahead a few streets and could tell by the way he watched him there was hidden motive and an easy target. They were two helpless women without male escort in the slums of Death Valley, after all. She reached out to Regina and pulled her into the shadow of the perpendicular alley, pressing her up against the building there and into a passionate kiss.

Regina moaned into it, still tasting the sweet taste of the intoxicating flower on Fiona's tongue, "What...is th-this...for?" She asked in between languid kisses, running her hands around the fairy's slim waste, reveling in how delicate her slender frame was.

"Luring in our prey," Fiona smirked against Regina's mouth, pressing a hand against the building above her head, "Plus I wanted to," She remarked before slipping her tongue back into the Queen's mouth, pressing her harder against the side of the building. She wanted nothing more than to rip her dress off of her and take her against the wall, but she wasn't finished bringing her back to life yet. There was a darkness in Regina that had been snuffed out, a part of her that she felt guilty for. She wanted to celebrate it tonight.

Just then a large hand gripped her shoulder and she knew it was time, feeling the man jerk her away from Regina who gasped unexpectedly, "We don't mean any trouble sir," Fiona feigned a sweet, lilted tone as she gazed up at the man, seeing Regina perk a brow in suspicion as she stood behind the man who'd stepped in between them. He was taller than them both with broad shoulders, dressed in a long coat and black hat. Someone who would be respected in public, a somewhat important figure.

The man's energy made Regina's skin prickle as he cornered Fiona against the opposite wall, though the woman kept glancing up at her with a smug, malevolent glint to her eyes that told her she felt no real threat. Regina had encountered countless men of this nature during her time as Leopold's wife; ones who believed because they had a bit of money and some political standing that they could treat poorer class people like disposables, as this man thought he could. As her husband had treated her.

"Judging from how you ladies are dressed I didn't think you'd give me any trouble," The man leered over Fiona, reaching down to start grabbing at her dress, bunching it up with his big hands, "Such a nice gown for a whore."

"Please sir you've got it wrong, I'm not-" Fiona feigned fear, her eyes growing wider up at him as he pinned her to the wall, seeing Regina creeping closer behind him.

"Let her go," Regina demanded, causing the man to glance back over his shoulder and scoff in her direction. When her gaze caught Fiona's, the fairy was smirking knowingly at her, like she'd trapped the perfect prey for the Evil Queen and she was proud of what she had to offer.

"Shutup, whore," He muttered, turning back to Fiona before he gasped for air suddenly, reaching up towards his neck as if he were prying off invisible hands choking him. His eyes bulged and Fiona grinned up at the shock and awe on his face while he dangled in the air. Regina circled around him then, coming up beside the fairy as she held her hand up in a cupping position, using her magic to slowly cut off his air supply.

"What do you think, dear? Should we cut off a certain appendage and let him bleed out slowly," Regina tilted her head to the side, a magnificent sparkle of evil dancing in her eyes that made Fiona's stomach coil, "Or snap his neck and be done with him?" Her chest heaved slowly, pushing her breasts up towards the confines of her corseted top. The Queen vibrated with so much controlled anger and it was the most beautiful sight Fiona had ever witnessed.

"Snap his neck," Fiona turned to level with her, looking directly into her eyes, "I can't wait any longer to take you home and fuck you."

A hot rush of heat ran through Regina's body, setting every nerve ending on fire as she bit down on her bottom lip before glancing up at the man she still held who sputtered for air, face purple. The fear in his eyes gave her such a thrill she couldn't help but smile malevolently. There was a high that came with taking a life, one that only the woman before her understood and had offered her in a way that was safe and guilt free for her. She took her time to enjoy her first kill in ages, sinking her fingertips into his flesh slowly by making the cup of her hand smaller.

This man was like so many she had met, her husband being one of them. She knew she had no moral high grounds to stand on but even to her there were some lines that were not to be crossed. No tolerance could be held for sexual acts against women or children and it made her blood boil that had this been any other defenseless women, this bastard would've gotten his way. Flashbacks of her nights as a newlywed sixteen year old flooded her mind. The feeling of being pinned down underneath a man old enough to be her father as he brutally raped her. The pain. The blood. No one should suffer it.

Fiona shivered as she watched Regina quickly flick her wrist to the right, hearing the loud crack of the man's neck before he dropped to the ground in a heap. The Queen audibly inhaled and tilted her head back and Fiona knew she was at an all time high. She grinned to herself as she watched the woman turn from her victim and look at her with wild eyes. There was the passion she wanted to ignite in her. That was the emotion she wanted to bring to the surface.

* * *

It was a good thing Regina had enacted a sound barrier around her bed chamber when they'd ended up there in a puff of purple and black smoke. The power struggle was almost instant and it had not turned out to be a quiet one. Regina had charged Fiona, pinning her against the wall with wild gusto and pent up sexual energy that was bubbling over from within her. Candelabras fell from the stone walls, her vanity table was cleared of half of it's contents, furniture was thrown out of the way with magic.

Fiona took the control back by grasping a handful of Regina's hair, pulling it from it's updo and kissing her hungrily. They stumbled over chairs and the vanity table, pushing Regina's bottom against it as she grabbed two handfuls of her ass, hearing her moan in reply, "How do you feel, darling?"

"Alive," Regina grinned breathlessly, flushed lips and hair falling out of it's hold, "Overdressed," She added before flicking her wrist, close dissipating in purple smoke, leaving her perched naked on the edge of her vanity. Fiona's lips parted in a slight gape as her gaze traveled up long tan legs, thick thighs, round hips and a small waist. Her breath hitched when perfectly sized breasts came into view, hard nipples, flushed chest.

Regina took the moment to grip the back of Fiona's neck and pull her down for a kiss, spreading her legs and pulling the fairy in between them, "You?"

"Surprised," Fiona groaned into her mouth, running hands up her thighs and wrapping them around her waist, "This isn't a first experience for you, is it?"

"Let's see how you compare to a dragon," Regina smirked in challenge as she tilted her head back to look at Fiona. The fairy surprised her then, picking her thighs up with ease and turning to throw her backwards onto the bed. Her eyes were pitch black by this point, causing Regina to suck in a breath quickly when her clothes disappeared into black smoke, leaving a bare porcelain frame standing over her.

She felt her clit begin to ache as she laid on her back looking up at the woman standing near the end of the bed. A coy smile played on her lips as Regina teased her by opening her knees to look up at her through them. Fiona merely ran a tongue over her bottom lip as she approached the bottom of the bed, grabbing one of Regina's ankles and jerking her completely onto her back as she crawled over her. Her narrow waist settled between Regina's thighs, her hands pressing the Queen's own into the bed on either side of her head.

"Watching you tonight made me so wet," Fiona looked down into Regina's dark eyes, heavy lidded from arousal, "Did it turn you on, darling? Snapping his neck with your bare hands? Remembering who you are and how powerful you are..." She slipped one thigh between Regina's legs, beginning to grind herself against her hips, "...that no one can fuck with you except when you want it..." She smirked then and dipped her head, taking Regina's nipple into her mouth and sucking on it firmly before letting go of it with a loud pop.

"Yes," Regina's reply came out as more of a moan than a word, her back arching up as she felt Fiona's thigh pressed against her sex, "Don't think this changes anything between us," She used her force to roll them over and pin Fiona on her back, leaning down to run her tongue up her sternum slowly before biting down on the swell of her breast.

"Fuck," Fiona hissed at the slight pain, reaching up to knot Regina's hair in her hand, "Let's see if you say that tomorrow after I fuck you until you pass out," She smirked, reaching down to grip the Queen's ass firmly, bringing her sex down on her thigh and beginning to make her rock. Regina was wet already on Fiona's thigh and it made her own stomach tighten to feel the soft curves of the woman riding her.

"Try me," Regina challenged as she rolled her hips, moaning and letting her eyes close as she ground her clit into Fiona's leg, reaching up to cup her breasts, thumbs playing with her nipples. She liked the way the fairy ran her hands over her ass and gripped it, holding her with someone of a masculine touch that was still somehow feminine.

Fiona only grinned up at her before rolling them both onto their sides, leaning in to kiss at Regina's neck savagely, pulling one of her thighs up over her own hip, "I can't wait to taste you," She murmured and heard the Queen moan and claw at her back. She grinned to herself as she brought her hand down the small of Regina's back and over her bottom to her sex, dipping her fingertips into the wetness there.

" _Mmmph_ ," Regina let her head fall back and Fiona merely smirked against the skin of her neck, loving how she was responding to her touch. She probed her fingers, one and then two, inside of the brunette, finding her soaking wet and ready. Fiona withdrew her hand, hearing the disappointed whimper as she brought it up to their faces and Regina's eyes came open.

"So good," She mumbled as she slipped two of her fingers into her mouth and sucked Regina's juices off of them before slipping them down her front, pushing Regina over onto her back as she stayed on her side beside of her. "I want to feel you come on my fingers," She watched Regina intently as she pushed two fingers inside of her slowly.

Regina's hips hitched, jerking up from the bed a little as she turned her head to gaze at Fiona breathlessly, " _Fuck, yes_ ," She bit her lip when the brunette pulled her fingers almost all of the way out before thrusting them back in abruptly, "Like that!" She gasped when Fiona continued to do it, curling her fingers upwards as she thrust, beginning to hit a spot deep inside of her that had her coiling at a rapid pace.

"That's it, darling," Fiona moaned as she watched her curling her hips up to meet the thrust of her hand, leaning in to kiss and suck over the swell of her breasts and nipples, "I bet you look beautiful when you let go," She felt herself aching as she watched the Queen's body rolling on the bed, right hand gripping the covers and left hand gripping Fiona's own thigh.

"Th-that all you got?" Regina tried to manage a smirk but she was far too breathless and her brows furrowed with a new wave of pleasure as Fiona added a thumb on her clit as she thrust her fingers harder and faster, " _F-fuck! Fiona-yes-god-fuck-harder_!" She lost control of her hips as her orgasm came faster than she expected, causing her to clamp down so firmly around the fairy's fingers that she let out a moan with Regina.

"How did I hold up to your dragon friend?" Fiona's lips grazed her sternum and chest with a smirk, spreading Regina's arousal over her throbbing sex. The way the Queen's pelvis still jerked every now and then and her thighs faintly trembled from her orgasm made her feel smug in her capabilities. She let herself roll onto her back, staring at the ceiling, "Can you even speak?" She chuckled when the Queen did not respond, "Typical. It's always the ones who talk the most that-"

"Fiona?" Regina rolled on top of her, slipping one leg in between her own, "Stop talking," She smirked down at her as she reached down to grip her thighs, pulling them up and making her legs bend at the knee.

"Make me," Fiona grinned instantly at the Queen's intent, shifting to help her find the perfect position. Her hands caressed her arms and shoulders as she watched the dark hair trail down her belly after the warm kisses planted on it. She moved Regina's hair to the side so she could watch her, lifting up on one elbow, "Quit teasing," She glowered, biting down on her bottom lip.

Regina smirked up at the woman looking down at her before running her tongue delicately around her clit, feeling the fairy's entire slender body tense from that one contact. She knew the woman was aroused to the point of pain by this time after seeing to Regina's orgasm first, so she decided not to continue the taunting.

Fiona growled and ran a hand through Regina's hair, watching the way her mouth devoured her. The Queen had locked her arms around her thighs so her hips could not move much, though they still bucked with pleasure. She coiled rapidly at how aroused she was, not to mention Regina's lips were soft and her tongue was skilled. She bit her lip and whimpered, glancing up to rake her gaze over the woman's slender, toned back sinking in and her round bottom in the air as she bent down to eat her with earnest.

"I'm close," She hissed, letting her head fall back as she began to roll her hips with Regina's mouth. One hand stayed splayed in Regina's hair, the other reaching above her to press against the top of the bed to keep from shifting up. A strangled cry escaped her followed by the cracking of the wooden headboard under Fiona's hand when Regina sucked down on her clit suddenly and her entire body tensed.

Regina grinned proudly at the mess they'd made of the dampened sheets, crawling back up over the panting fairy, "Now that we're warmed up, are you sure you're ready for the Evil Queen to come out to play?"


	6. Chapter 6

_so this will kind of go along with the last few episodes of season 6, but some things will be different. thanks for reading, please let me know if you guys are still interested in this one! xx_

* * *

Regina grimaced as the green station wagon came to a screeching halt, plowing metal garbage bins in front of her house. Zelena was quickly losing her patience and already squawked that she was going to give up after trying a whole of two minutes to drive a stick shift. As it turned out, teaching her sister to be adjust to life without magic was proving more than enough to keep her mind occupied.

In order to keep herself from going crazy as the Charmings' planned a wedding for the woman she loved, Regina had attempted to stay busy at all times. Work wasn't enough, there were dreaded evenings alone thanks to Henry spending more and more time at Emma and Hook's lately. So she worked on things like figuring out a way to break Snow and Charming's sleeping curse and how to thwart Fiona's attempts at wreaking havoc. The final battle was inevitable though, so she'd begun planning ahead for it as her efforts with Zelena weren't entirely unselfish.

"It's hopeless!" Zelena threw up her hands as the car came to a stop, "I'll just have to find another way to protect Robyn!"

Regina frowned and glanced at her sister, "...Its not just about Robyn..." She snapped before taking a moments pause before admitting, "It's about...well, it's about Henry."

"Henry?" Inquisitive blue eyes looked back at her.

"When the final battle comes, he'll want to fight to the very end. But the thing about battles is that not everyone makes it through...so, if we lose or...there are casualties, he can't be anywhere near it," She swallowed hard and locked eyes with her sister seriously, "I need you to take him to New York. Where he can be safe and he can start a new life. With you."

"Regina, I don't know what to say...you really trust me to raise Henry?" Her sisters vulnerable side appeared and her eyes glossed over. They didn't have the best relationship, though they were much better now than they'd ever been. Zelena could still be a headstrong brat at times, but so could Regina. Slowly they had learned how to deal with each other and she even found herself thankful for the company whenever she and baby Robyn would visit.

Regina smiled faintly at the thought of her son, glancing down, "No, I trust him to raise you."

Zelena's lips pressed into a thin line as she tried to suppress a smile at her half-sister's good hearted dig, "I'd be honored...but, isn't this supposed to be Emma's battle?" Her expression sobered considerably.

"Yes," Regina averted her gaze at the mention of the blonde, "But you know how she is, she refuses to fight dirty like Fiona will. If things start to go south I'm going to step in."

"That's admirable but..." Zelena raised an eyebrow, "Shouldn't it be Hook or her parents to do it?"

"What is that One Handed Wonder going to do to the most powerful dark magic wielder in all realms?" She looked back at her sister and rolled her eyes, "And I don't think Fiona would wait around long enough for the Charmings to kill her with hopeless optimism."

"How many times have you and Emma risked yourselves to save each other?" Zelena prodded and Regina instantly stiffened at her sister's insinuation.

"What does that have to do with anything?" She bit back at her, flashing a warning glare not to go there.

"Fine, fine," Zelena's eyes widened and she put up both of her gloved hands in surrender, "I'm just saying, you wouldn't catch me sticking my neck out for her after choosing that filthy pirate."

"I don't care what Emma and Hook do, it's none of my concern," She replied tersely with a nod when her cellphone started to ring with a call from Snow White, "And that's the last we'll speak of it."

* * *

 _Enchanted Forest; Missing Year_

"Must you really go play pretend family with the thief and the boy, little darling?" Fiona purred near Regina's ear as she sat at her vanity, getting ready for the day. Snow had become suspicious about how much time Regina was spending on her own and out in the forest, questioning her at every turn. She'd even gone as far as arranging brunch for she, David, Robin and Regina.

"Unfortunately yes," Regina sighed as she looked up in the mirror at their reflection. Fiona's hands rested on her shoulders. "She's becoming unbearable and won't stop nagging me. If I go she'll see that I'm fine and leave me alone."

"She's trying to set you up with that idiot who uses pinecones for money," Fiona scowled at the thought, making Regina's red lips turn up at the corners.

"Am I detecting a bit of jealousy?" She teased the fairy, seeing her draw her brows down in a glare instantly.

"I'd have to see him as a threat first," She raised one dark eyebrow, leaning down behind Regina as she grazed her lips over her neck, "But I know what makes you tick. What motivates you," Her breath tickled Regina's ear, making goosebumps appear, "I understand you. And, I can make your eyes roll back in your head like no one else can."

Regina hummed and smirked up at her. Fiona had turned out to be able to relax her. She was a welcomed break from working on the curse reversal and she kept her company during this lonely time of missing her son. They were both careful to keep up their perfectly intact walls, their time together mainly spent getting into trouble or tumbling in the sheets. Nothing dangerous or serious like developing feelings or asking personal questions. They had an unspoken understanding that they had both been through things and would rather not discuss them.

"So very jealous," Regina murmured and chuckled, shying away from her when Fiona bit down on her earlobe playfully before straightening up.

"I suppose it won't hurt to become familiar with the thief," Fiona shrugged with a smile as she slinked back over to Regina's bed and sat on the edge, "It will be easier to take his boy when the times comes."

Regina's stomach turned nervously at the mention of it, though she attempted to keep a casual expression on her face. "You really should get going, Snow will be knocking for me any minute."

"Dreadful girl," Fiona shuddered at the mention of Snow and rolled her eyes. She hadn't met her firsthand but she had observed Snow's habits of disrupting Regina's private time and nosing into her business. She also knew that Snow was the source of a lot of Regina's misfortune and Regina kind of liked the fact that Fiona sided with her without question, disliking the girl because of her loyalty. "I suppose I'm due back in the Dark Realm anyways," She sighed, standing up from the edge of Regina's bed, "Must check in on my little ones."

She smirked back at her in the mirror though she lacked any real humor at the fairy's crack. She saw so much of her old self in Fiona that it saddened her at times. Something or someone had hurt her in the past; she could tell by the pain sadness in her eyes even when she smiled. The Dark Fairy was tight-lipped about her history and created the facade that she was simply born evil, though Regina knew better.

"Will I be seeing you tonight?" She found herself asking before she could stop, causing a cocky grin to appear on Fiona's face. Her steps brought her closer to the vanity where Regina sat and she took in the sight of the fairy as she did so. The woman was a vision. Tall and slender with graceful movements and striking facial features. It was women like her that made Regina wonder how some could not find both sexes appealing.

"Of course, little darling," Fiona watched her in the mirror as she leaned in and pressed a kiss to her neck, "Until then," She smirked, nipping the skin before she disappeared into a whirlwind of black smoke.

* * *

 **Storybrooke**

Regina walked quickly towards her vault, mind buzzing with everything that she needed to accomplish before Emma's dress fitting that afternoon. Snow had invited she and Zelena and while she'd contemplated not going, she knew that would only make things more awkward at the wedding. Regardless of how she felt, she had to appear happy for Hook and Emma. Otherwise, she'd just look jealous.

She was also slightly worried about the Dark Fairy whom she hadn't seen since her sister plowed her with her station wagon. It was a hard impact and while magic made you stronger, healing wasn't easy with dark magic. Especially when you were injured yourself. The Charmings and Zelena had shrugged it off, all making comments that it would save them all a lot of trouble if she was bleeding out from internal wounds somewhere. Regina couldn't help but take it personally. She'd once been the person they said those kinds of things about. There had been a time when they would've gladly let her die. If she deserved a second chance, then why didn't Fiona?

She shook her head with a sigh as she waved her hand, opening her vault and starting down the stone steps. The door at the bottom was already open and the rug disheveled, causing concern as she rounded the corner. It wasn't thieves or vandalizers she found, but a Dark Fairy slumped into the floor almost in the fetal position.

"Shit," Regina murmured under her breath as she quickly came to her, kneeling down on the floor, "Fiona..." She touched her shoulder and dark eyes shot open to stare back at her.

"What?" She grit out and Regina could feel her body trembling under her touch, "I just need some rest...c-can't transport myself just yet..."

"Do you know what's wrong?" She frowned and surveyed her body, turning her hand over to press the back of it to Fiona's forehead for her temperature.

"Your bitch of a sister ran me over like roadkill, that's whats wrong," Fiona grumbled, grimacing as she rolled onto her back with an exhaled breath, "Broken ribs, I think."

"Well, to be fair you were threatening me," Regina rolled her eyes, gently feeling and checking for injuries on her limbs, "Having a 'temper tantrum' as you call them when I'm upset."

"Darling you cast a Dark Curse during your last temper tantrum, this hardly compares." _Even with internal injuries, the Dark Fairy was capable of sass._

"Why did you come here?" The Mayor asked as she began to touch around her ribs and abdomen, letting her magic glow lightly to feel any wounds.

"I was hoping you'd have some sort of potion or something to help heal-" Fiona replied before crying out suddenly, "God damn it, woman! I told you they're broken you don't need to break them even more!" She snapped when Regina touched an injured spot, the pain turning her even more pale than her porcelain complexion in it's natural state.

Regina couldn't help but smirk at Fiona's feisty side roaring to life before pressing her lips together, concentrating on the healing. Her hands glowed light purple as she held them over Fiona's abdomen. The other woman gasped in relief as bones fused back together and organs were meticulously healed. Color came back to her cheeks and she was once again breathing normally.

"Your magic has changed," Fiona murmured when she glanced down and saw it was no longer dark purple, "It's lighter."

"It's mixed with light magic, now," Regina bit her bottom lip with her teeth as she averted her eyes from Fiona's and rocked back on her heels.

"Light magic?" Fiona raised a brow, taking the hand Regina extended and sitting up slowly on the rug, turning so her back was against one of the large trunks. "I guess I'm not surprised. Those heroes have ruined you."

"Those heroes are my family you're talking about," She shook her head slightly, letting out a deep breath, "My family that you're trying to destroy."

"I just want to be free of the Dark Realm, Regina," Fiona gazed back at her seriously, her eyes firm and determined, "I want to live a normal life again. You know what that feels like, living in a prison, your life not your own. I cannot help the way I have to do it. It was fated."

Regina shook her head, brushing her hands over the thighs of her trousers to smooth them out as she stood, "There has to be another way..."

"There isn't," Fiona let her head rest back against the trunk, watching the Mayor pace the vault slowly, "You know you could've just let me die down here," She observed, arm rested around her midsection that still felt a bit tender.

"That is not how I do things anymore, Fiona," She threw her an insolent glare, "I'm the mayor of this town, I couldn't let you die-"

"You don't want me to die," Fiona corrected with an arched brow.

"Couldn't let you die," Regina countered quickly, crossing her arms over her chest as she came to stand still a few feet from her, "But I will when it comes to the final battle if you continue threatening us. I can't let you destroy my town and my family and life that I worked so hard for."

"And what about my life? Does it mean nothing?" The Dark Fairy tilted her head slightly, "Don't worry, little darling," She began with a hint of the smirk at the old pet name, "You have made it clear which side you have chosen. _Again_."

* * *

"Are they really still going on with all of this wedding nonsense while the Dark Fairy plots all of our deaths?" Zelena raised a brow as they sat at one of the tables at Granny's. The place was packed for a rehearsal dinner for the happy couple. The final battle loomed over them but none of them acted like they had a care.

"But the Savior Princess is getting her fairytale," Regina took a sip of her bourbon, enjoying the way it burned as she swallowed, "You should know by now that Emma's happiness is the most important thing."

"I'm sorry but I don't really care about her love life when my actual life and child's life is at stake," Her sister retorted, Robyn asleep in her car seat on the seat beside of her. The little girl was starting to look more and more like Regina's Robin everyday. Seeing those familiar eyes look back at her brought a little wave of melancholy over her each time.

"Yes well," She let out a breath shrugging as she watched David and Snow beam as they mingled with guests, "Their child is happy so that's all they care about."

"They really have no clue how obnoxious they can be, do they?" Zelena sighed and watched Regina knock back her bourbon, "Easy tiger, you drove us here and we all know what my driving skills are like."

"I'm fine," She grumbled, seeing Hook raising his glass and motioning everyone to draw attention to their toast.

Regina felt her stomach flop as everyone came to stand in a circle, pushing her chair back begrudgingly as she plastered a smile on her face and stepped up. Hook pulled Emma up against him and she smiled affectionately at the pirate as the people quieted and watched them. Regina would never have that and the reality hit her like a punch to the gut. The people she loved were either dead or belonged to someone else.

"Emma and I just wanted to thank you all for coming out and celebrating with us," Hook began, a charming smile on his face. Regina's throat constricted when Emma put her hand over Hook's chest, resting it there and watching her fiancé with adoring eyes. "The final battle is ahead of us but we know we'll overcome it, and that we'll all be together again soon, celebrating our wedding with all of this behind us.

We've come too far to let anyone or anything stop us now. So thank you again for sticking by us and for helping me celebrate the fact that I get to spend the rest of my life, with the love of my life." He glanced at Emma then before leaning down to kiss her gently. Everyone in the diner cheered but Regina, for she could only manage a fake smile through the tears that welled in her eyes.

She was happy for her once closest friend. She was. She had to be. Her feelings had been one sided and there was no need to dwell on what might have been.

"Cheers!" Emma laughed when she broke the kiss with a faint blush, reaching her mug in the air and prompting everyone to clink glasses.

Regina felt Zelena and Snow watching her with pity filled eyes and it made her want to scream. Within the same year she'd sat in this very diner, drinking this same whiskey as she said goodbye to one love and now she was doing the same with another. Not only that, she was now the object of Snow White's pity.

She thought that things would change once she finally chose to love herself. She had helped the Evil Queen accept that love and gave her counterpart a happy ending. Witnessing the Queen's happiness had made her think it may be possible for her. That maybe she could get a second chance at having true love.

In the end she may have found contentment within herself, but she was still alone. She was still not enough to be chosen by someone without being coerced by fairy dust. She did not have someone to share her life with and love every part of her. And the reminder of that only continued to be thrown in her face.


	7. Chapter 7

_shaking things up a bit in this chapter...let me know what you think ;) xxx_

* * *

 ** _Enchanted Forest; Missing Year_**

"You're missing your child, aren't you?" Fiona's voice startled her from her position on the balcony of her bed chamber, overlooking the fields below. Robin and Roland were engaging in a loud and rambunctious game of rough-housing and it made Regina's heart ache to hear the giggles and see the mop of brown curly hair. He reminded her much of Henry when he was that age and any thought of him was enough to send her into a dark place. But that's exactly what Henry wouldn't have wanted.

"Every moment," Regina replied quietly, keeping her gaze on the father and son. She took a deep breath and squared her shoulders, not making it a habit of speaking on vulnerable topics in front of the Fairy. "I wasn't expecting you."

"Yes, well maybe I missed you," Fiona replied in a playful tone.

Regina let out a chuckle and rolled her eyes at the notion of the woman being anything but self serving, "What do you want, Fiona?" She asked, missing the flicker of a hurt in the fairy's expression and the way she stiffened instantly.

"It's time," Fiona's tone was considerably harsher as she spoke bluntly and studied Regina's profile, "To start collecting children to undo this curse. That boy would be a good start."

"Why him?" Regina turned her head to look at her then at the mention of Roland, trying not to appear as uneasy about it all as she felt, "Why does he have to be one of them?"

"What's the matter? Worried about your thief?" She replied with a hard gaze, locking eyes with the Queen, "Why not him?"

"Because," Regina snapped back at her, "It has nothing to do with his father. I just would rather not lure I child I know to the depths of hell to slave for our curse."

"You don't want to take any child," Fiona snorted and rolled her eyes, clenching her jaw in irritation.

"Of course I don't!" Regina shook her head with a frown, "I'm not you anymore. I gave up doing evil. I have changed."

"If that's what you want to tell yourself," The fairy shook her head slightly and gave a bitter laugh, "You're weak."

Regina took a deep breath, becoming all too aware that she would not be able to hold up her end of the deal. She wanted her life with Henry back more than anything in the world, but not at the expense of others. She'd given him and Emma a good life with warm memories and he would be perfectly fine without her. She couldn't be selfish and take someone else's child to get back to hers. Henry would never forgive her or himself.

"I'm not weak," She tilted her chin up, squaring her own shoulders, "In fact sometimes it takes being stronger to do what is right and that is what I'm doing."

"Don't you want to get back to your son?" Fiona snapped, stepping up to her furiously at the thought of her plan falling through again. Her chance at freedom slipping away once more.

"That's all I want!" Regina yelled back at her, feeling her eyes gloss with fresh tears, "But I changed for him! I redeemed myself so that he would be proud of me. If I did this it would undo all of the progress I made. Right now Henry is happy and healthy and being cared for. I can't up end his life for my own selfishness. I can't risk him finding out how I got him back because if I..." Her voice cracked and she stopped, swallowing hard, "..if I had to see the disappointment, the hate in his eyes again, like when I was the Evil Queen...I couldn't live with myself. Yes, I want my son back, but I'd rather have him not know who I am and be happy than...to know who I am and that I've made the same mistake. Something I promised him I'd never do."

"He never has to know..." Fiona replied through clenched teeth, her own eyes stormy with emotion that she refused to show elsewhere in her expression. Her fists were clenched in rage and Regina could practically feel the malevolent magic begging to escape the angry woman. "If he does you can use a forgetting potion-"

"I will never use magic like that on Henry. I have tricked him before and I have paid the price," Regina replied firmly, "I can't do this."

Fiona's eyes glazed over, her shoulders squared with an eerie calm as she eyed the Queen intensely, "I didn't need you, anyways," She replied coolly, hating herself for understanding why Regina wouldn't budge, "But do know that when I succeed in getting to your realm, there will be hell to pay."

* * *

 **Storybrooke; Present Day**

Fiona paced the old mines so furiously she was sure she'd bring them crashing down on her at any moment. It was the day of reckoning and she hated herself for feeling so weak and having a moment of doubt. She'd always taken pride in being ruthless and cold, not thinking twice before committing wicked deeds. That was until that goddamn Queen got into her head.

Regina didn't deserve to go down with the rest of them. She'd suffered more than anyone in all of the realms combined. The need to protect her reminded her of the day when everything went wrong back in the Enchanted Forest. She'd learned so much about her then but she was too angry to really listen.

And now Fiona felt that niggling feeling of guilt at the fact that what she had coming for this town would affect Regina. The mayor had fought so hard for her happiness, for her son and for some semblance of a family. Fiona didn't want to ruin what the Queen had worked so hard for, even though Regina had never reciprocated that sentiment. To take happiness away from someone who was so much like herself felt too personal.

She'd tried to stay strong and remind herself that Regina had clearly chosen the side of the heroes, but the way the Queen had cared for her in her vault made her change her mind. Shortly after she decided then what would happen to each and every person when the final battle began. All of them had taken it so literally, actually believing it would simply be a fight between she and Emma. She rolled her eyes at the Charming idiots and felt quite surprised Regina did not know there was almost more to it when it came to dark magic.

Fiona continued her pacing at the thought of what was about to happen, anxiety and excitement bubbling within her. Soon she would be free of the Dark Realm and living her own life. One that she had chosen and constructed. The heroes would finally pay the price for their stupidity and she'd be the most powerful being of all realms once she had extinguished Emma's belief for good.

Regina probably wouldn't be too thrilled with the fate she was about to receive. The resentment Fiona held over the Queen choosing the heroes side not once, but twice, had prompted her to give Regina's life a special little twist. Still, the Queen and her son would be much better off than anyone else in this town. She would personally see to that. _It was time someone did._

Her heart started to thump wildly in her chest and she couldn't help the grin that spread across her face. She could feel the wedding had just been completed by the happiness of the unsuspecting fools that radiated throughout the town. All of them were so happy, except of course the mayor who was only pretending to not be heartbroken. Soon everything would be better for both of them.

Adrenaline rushed through her veins when her magic began to tingle and she knew the clouds were rolling in on the happy wedding party. It was time. Her life began again today. This was Fiona's happy ending.

* * *

"Thank god you remember me," Henry sighed in relief as he hugged his blonde mother after wandering into the town hospital and asking if anyone had seen her. When the curse had hit he'd found himself alone and immediately began searching for the rest of his family. The last thing he remembered was the wedding party standing, watching as the dark clouds of the curse came their way.

"Of course I remember you," Emma replied with a frown. She looked pale, dressed in plain clothing and a cardigan. Her look was usually minimal when it came to hair and makeup, but she'd done absolutely nothing with herself and it did nothing to ease his fears.

"Because I just looked all over town and I couldn't find the rest of our family...Snow, David, Hook," He frowned at her as she cut him off.

"No, no, stop," She put her hands up, her eyes widening in a frightened way, "I'm not going down that road again. I've worked way too hard for you to undo all of my progress."

"Progress?" His stomach sank and he saw the same disbelief in her eyes that she held when he told her about the storybook all those years ago.

"You know...Those people, Snow White, Prince Charming, Captain Hook," She shook her head as they set down at the table nearby, "None of them are real. My parents are not fairytale characters. There's no curse, this is just a regular town."

"Mom, what happened to you?" Henry's own memory was fuzzy and he had no clue where the rest were or what had happened once the curse hit. It was apparent that Emma's long term memories were even altered or wiped clean.

"I ended up in here because I started to buy into what you were trying to get me to believe," She ran a tired hand over her face. "This has to stop, Henry. I just want to get well so I can be your mother again."

"No, Mom that's not why. It's the Dark Fairy, she said she would take away your family and this is how, she cursed us," Henry shook his head when she refused to look at him, "All right, if what you're saying is true then how long have you been a patient in here?"

"You know how long I've been here," Emma frowned and crossed her arms, sighing when she saw he wasn't relenting, "Ever since you tried to prove that fairtyales were real by eating a poisoned apple turnover. You ended up in the hospital for weeks, barely made it through."

"That's now how it happened! I did eat the turn over but you saved me with true love's kiss!"

"No!" Her eyes widened as if she were losing her patience, "You weren't saved by magic you were saved by medicine," She calmed down when a nurse approached the table with her daily medicine, appearing as if she didn't want to make a scene. She was spooked from her time here and rightfully so.

"Stop, don't take that!" Henry frowned and grabbed the cup before setting the storybook on the table, "That's probably how the Dark Fairy is keeping you from remembering!"

"Henry," Emma whispered warningly through clenched teeth.

"Look, it's all in here," He said quickly opening the cover and showing her the note he'd scribbled that stuck out of the storybook, "Mom you have to start remembering so you can break this curse!"

Emma reached out and quickly shut the cover of the book, taking the medicine from him and mumbling an apology to the nurse who raised a brow and turned away. "You have to stop this Henry or your mom isn't going to let you come visit anymore."

"Regina, she's here?" He looked at her, his hope rising. His mom would know what to do about all of this. She always did.

"Who's Regina?" Emma asked cluelessly. The bewilderment in her eyes made his stomach drop at the fact that the woman who raised him didn't seem to exist here.

"Henry," An unfamilar voice called out behind him as he glanced up to see the Dark Fairy in a pantsuit, not unlike the type his adoptive mother wore, "There's my boy." His stomach sank dreadfully and he pulled the book into his lap to hide it. Something was very wrong here and he had the intuition to know if the Dark Fairy realized he remembered that he would suffer a cruel fate. Then no one could be saved.

"Madam Mayor I'm sorry, I didn't know he was coming today," His biological mother said in an apologetic tone that was so unlike her. _What had happened to the bad ass sheriff Emma Swan?_

"How many times have I told you? It's Fiona," The Dark Fairy smiled at the blonde and put a hand over hers gently, "No need for titles here. Now, Henry, shouldn't you be at school?"

"Uh, of course," Henry swallowed and glanced at the blonde before looking up at the brunette, "I just wanted to see my other mom."

Fiona's smile quickly faded as she zoned in on the object in his lap, reaching out the grab the storybook from him, "Oh no, I think I'll be holding onto this. Nothing but trouble seems to come with this book. Now, off to school. Emma and I have some business to discuss."

Henry rose from his seat reluctantly, mumbling a 'yes mom' before leaning down to hug Emma on his way out, "Whatever she wants you to do, don't do it," He murmured in his biological mother's ear before setting out to keep looking for the rest of his family.

* * *

Henry had tried the mansion but it was locked and all of the lights were off inside. So was David and Snow's apartment. Gold's shop now had ' _Gold, Attorney At Law'_ painted on it and the inside looked like simple office spaces instead of piled high with antiques and magical items. Doctor Hopper obviously worked at the hospital now under close watch of the Dark Fairy, so he would be no help. Granny's diner looked to be a trendy restaurant by the name of Petite Rouge and even it had a sign on the door that it wasn't open until dinner hours.

His heart sank as he walked down the main street, seeing the locals who seemed to go about their business like nothing was different. Some of them waved at him like the used to and some citizens simply bustled about as if this was the way things had always been. He let out a breath as he shoved his hands in his pockets, looking ahead at the street signs and storefronts that were all slightly changed in one way or another.

Nearing the place where The Rabbit Hole used to be, he looked up to see that like everything else it went by a different name, too. The neon sign was lit up, giving him some hope that there would be a person in here that could help him. He didn't care if he wasn't old enough to walk into the bar or not as he reached for the door and swung it open. He'd deal with the consequences later. _It's not like things could get much worse, could they?_

"Welcome to Roni's-" A familiar voice came from behind the bar when the bell above the door rang with it's motion, "Henry? What are you doing out of school?"

He felt the door fall closed behind him but he couldn't move. The woman who raised him, the former mayor of this town, was standing behind the bar with a bright smile on her face at the sight of him. Except it wasn't exactly the woman who raised him. She had curly hair, slightly lighter in tone, gold hoop earrings and an outfit that the Regina Mills he knew would never choose to wear willingly.

"Henry?" Her brows furrowed slightly when he didn't answer and she tilted her head, throwing down the rag she was wiping the bar down with on the counter, "Babe, are you okay?"

 _Babe?_ He'd never heard his mother use that term of endearment in her life. The severity of the situation hit him like a ton of bricks and he felt overwhelmed that he seemed to be the only one in this town that knew what the Dark Fairy had done. Whatever it was, he had to do some research to see just what he was up against. Which meant he couldn't go around upsetting people with the idea they were cursed like he had Emma. The Dark Fairy would no doubt catch wind of that all too quickly.

"Uh, early release?" He forced a smile and shrugged as he slowly approached the bar. _How did she know him? What should he say?_ All he could do was play along with whatever clues she gave him to how he should interact with her.

" _Ahhhh_ , shit," His mother tilted her head back dramatically and put a hand to her forehead, "I'm the worst mom in the world aren't I? Was I supposed to pick you up? I was just restocking the liquor and forgot the time, damn it-" _So the new Regina was not as punctual or schedule oriented as the real one was._

"No, no," Henry shook his head, silently relieved that he was at least still considered her son in this curse, "It's cool. I had planned to walk over here."

"Thank god," She gave him a grin, leaning onto the bar playfully to gently slap her hand on-top of his, "You know how uptight your mom gets about that type of thing. Our secret, hm?"

"Yeah, course," He mumbled with a forced grin, watching her turn to clear some empty glasses from the bar. He processed her words slowly, dread starting to fill him at a rapid pace. If the Dark Fairy acknowledged Emma was his biological mother and considered herself his adoptive mother, but Regina referred to herself as his mother, too, then what...

"Good, I don't wanna end up on the couch tonight," Regina replied with a wink and his stomach dropped, "Soon as David gets here for his shift we'll go home. Your mom text me and said she's making her signature lasagna."


	8. Chapter 8

_still interested? :) xxx_

* * *

Henry watched in fascinated observation at how different his adoptive mother was as she threw her keys carelessly on the counter when they entered the kitchen after walking home from Roni's bar. The Dark Fairy was at the stove, hair pulled back in a long ponytail and white apron on over her silk blouse and pencil skirt. She looked up when she heard them come in, giving a warm smile to his mother that he couldn't miss.

"Sorry babe, David was late for his shift again," Regina rolled her eyes as as she made her way around the kitchen island to the Dark Fairy. Henry stood near the opposite side of the kitchen as he watched them cautiously. His mother came up behind the DarkFairy and wrapped her arms around the taller brunette's waist, resting her chin on her shoulder.

"It's okay, it isn't ready yet," The Dark Fairy chuckled a little before turning her head to peck a kiss on Regina's temple. "How was school, Henry?" The woman set her sights on him then and he scrambled to come up with words.

"Uh, fine," He replied quickly, shoving his hands into his pockets. There was a warning look in her eyes that told him not to mention they had seen each other earlier. "Im just gonna go to my room until dinner," He mumbled before quickly turning to make his way out of the kitchen.

"What was that about?" The arms around Fiona turned her slightly, making her look at the curly haired brunette.

"Roni..." Fiona let out a breath, avoiding her questioning gaze, "Lets just finish dinner, okay?" She looked at her then with a hopeful smile.

"Fiona," Regina looked back at her with a stern gaze, "What?"

Fiona hesitated, looking at the warm brown eyes that stared back at her so seriously. Regina, just like before, struggled with the fact that Henry's biological mother was in their lives and he wanted to see her. Even in this cursed realm she was so loving and protective of her relationship with Henry that Emma's presence scared her. She wished she'd made it so Emma and Henry weren't related at all in this curse, but the blood ties were too strong and trying to cut them would've been more of a risk of it being broken. Henry and Emma would've felt a draw towards each other with no explanation and that would've only led to suspicion.

"I caught him skipping school today to...see Emma," Fiona admitted, seeing her wife's expression drop instantly.

"The storybook thing again-" Regina frowned and looked down, her hands falling from Fiona down to her sides. Since the curse had been cast Henry's memories seemed to reset. Every couple of weeks he would set out looking for his biological fairytale family, ending up at the hospital where Emma was. "He's been doing so much better lately, I thought Doctor Hopper said he was improving."

"He is," Fiona said reassuringly, reaching up to cup Regina's face in her hand, "He just had a little setback, all right?" She hated lying to Regina, as she'd grown to care about her during this curse. Though Henry's actions and Emma's current situation all made it too easy of an explanation. Henry suffered from the same mental instability that his biological mother did.

Fiona knew that his episodes of believing they were all under a curse and that the fairytale was real was true, but it was all to easy to blame genetics and his mother's established history with mental illness. She hadn't planned to have to lie about it and she hated the guilt that came with making Regina believe there was something wrong with her son. However, Henry's belief deep down inside of him was so strong that it threatened to get out even under the curse, hence these episodes they had dealt with for months now.

"What if he doesn't get better? What if he continues this nonsense that we're all fairytale characters and he ends up like his mother?" Regina swallowed hard and looked to her for reassurance, making her own heart constrict slightly.

"He won't, hey," Fiona pushed a curl away from Regina's face, smiling slightly, "Anything that happens we'll get through it, little darling."

"Don't call me little," Roni muttered and rolled her eyes, averting her gaze with a pout of her perfect lips, making Fiona chuckle. She'd tried to make Regina different in the curse, the opposite of who she was. She felt that it would be easier to stifle her resurfacing feelings for the Queen, to keep her distance and not fall for her. But there were still so many similarities between Roni and Regina. The stubbornness, the hotheadedness, the playfulness. And that smile, god, Fiona felt stupid over how good her wife's smile made her feel.

Fiona smirked as she glanced down at her wife's bare feet, making her a good five inches shorter than her, "I'm sorry," She laughed and leaned in to kiss her once, feeling Roni slowly begin to smile against her lips before she pulled away, "Now go, sit. I'll make you a drink."

"That's more like it, _woman,"_ Roni's voice whispered huskily with a smirk as she pulled away and rounded the corner, hopping onto the stool at the kitchen island. She leaned on her elbows, eyes zoned in on Fiona's figure as she moved around the kitchen to mix her a Jack and Coke. "How did I get so lucky?"

The Dark Fairy turned with a chuckle, biting down on her bottom lip at the real adoration she saw reflected in the frown eyes she found. It made her stomach stir from how long it had been since anyone had looked at her with love. For years she'd been alone, no one looking at her unless it was out of fear. But now she'd created a mess of what was supposed to be her happy ending. She'd created a false life with a woman who would never really love her if she wasn't cursed, and had fallen for her in the process.

* * *

Roni woke before her wife, a smile spreading across her face at how close they were in the bed, ending up on the same pillow. She blinked a few times to clear her eyes as she gazed at Fiona, taking in her beauty. She'd been taken with the mayor from the first moment she'd laid eyes on her when she went to her office to get her license for the bar approved. And, well, the rest had been history.

She slowly reached up, gently tracing the lines of her wife's facial features. Her finger brushed over her high cheekbones, down the side of her jaw and over her chin. Fiona twitched a little, pulling her full bottom lip into her teeth for a brief moment before relaxing again. On the outside she was so put together and her wall was so high, but in moments like this she just looked beautiful and vulnerable and Roni could never get enough.

"Stop staring at me," A sweet accent murmured from her wife, her eyes still closed, causing Roni to chuckle.

"I can't help it," She leaned in, pressing a kiss to Fiona's forehead as she wrapped an arm over her waist, pulling her body closer, "Wake up and pay attention to me."

Fiona's lips tugged into a grin and her eyes opened slowly to look back at her, giving in as she typically did when Roni was feeling warm and affectionate, "So needy," She murmured, bringing her own hand up to brush a curl from her wife's face, "What kind of attention do you need, darling?"

Roni hummed and bit down on her bottom lip to stifle the smirk, her stomach stirring a little at Fiona's eyes being heavy lidded with lust, "Whatever kind you feel like giving, babe."

Fiona chuckled before leaning in to kiss her wife slowly, Roni's head tilting to the side away from their pillow to deepen the kiss instantly. They both hummed into each other's mouths, nearly breaking the kiss with the smiles it brought both of them. Their hands began to caress over backs and hips, Fiona's own running down over Roni's ass. She grabbed a handful, making her wife moan and slip her leg up over Fiona's hip.

"Is that a hint?" Fiona whispered against Roni's lips before nuzzling her mouth down her jaw to her neck, beginning to kiss and nip at it as she ran her hand slowly back over her hip. Long slender fingers trailed down Roni's abdomen, "Hmm, I love your curves," Fiona purred. Roni's band tshirt she slept in had ridden up over her ribcage, leaving her stomach bare until the band of her boy short panties.

Roni's head fell down on the pillow, her free hand running up Fiona's arm in a gentle caress, "Don't tease me, Fi."

"What? When have I ever teased you?" She grinned and watched Roni's eyes as she tickled her fingers up her sternum and over one of her breasts, "Mmm, so perfect," She whispered as she cupped the flesh, thumb flicking over her hard nipple, eliciting a little purr from her wife who's eyes were now open, watching her.

"C'mon baby," Roni whined in a half moan, reaching down to put her hand over Fiona's and slide it down her body.

"So impatient," Fiona chuckled a little when her fingertips met Roni's boy-shorts, slipping underneath the band slowly, "Are you wet for me, darling?"

"Fiona," Roni growled more firmly and lifted her hips from the bed, her bottom lip clenched between her teeth. She couldn't help but smile wider at how impatient and demanding the curly haired woman could be, seeing her brows furrow as she opened her eyes to look sternly up at her.

"I'm sorry, darling," She stifled a laugh, biting down on her own bottom lip as she slid her fingers further into her wife's panties, "Oh, you are wet for me," She whispered, leaning down to brush her lips over Roni's shoulder.

"Mmmph," Roni whimpered, hips squirming as Fiona's fingertips began to dip down in her wet slit, "I swear if you don't-"

Fiona bit down on her shoulder slightly as she pushed her fingers firmly over Roni's clit, "You're always so horny in the morning," She grinned, sliding her wife's wetness over her before beginning small circles on her clit, "Mm."

"Is that a complaint?" The curly haired brunette grinned before letting out a soft moan, rocking her hips a little with her wife's hand movements. She brought a free hand up to thread through Fiona's hair, looking up at her with eyes a few shades darker from arousal.

"Never," Fiona grinned as she began to sink two fingers inside of her wife's wet heat, "So tight," She murmured, keeping her thumb on Roni's clit as she began to pump her fingers in and out of her slowly. Roni purred and began moving her hips up to meet Fiona's fingers, making them push deeper. Her eyes were closed, brows furrowed as she concentrated on the pleasure. She couldn't help but smile as she watched her, feeling her own clit beginning to pulse with arousal.

" _Need'more,_ " Her wife slurred as she opened heavy eyes to look up at her, reaching up to grip the back of Fiona's head to pull her down for a kiss. Fiona kissed her back hungrily, moaning as Roni pushed the weight of her hips, forcing Fiona on her back as she came to straddle her. Their chest pressed together, Fiona's arm and hand between their torsos, fingers still inside of her wife.

"Let me see you," Fiona groaned into Roni's mouth, smirking when she sat up, straddling her hips. Roni pulled her Rolling Stones tshirt over her head, throwing it carelessly in the floor with a grin down at Fiona. Her curls were mussed from sleep, some of them dangling over one of her eyes, but she was much too preoccupied with running her hands up her own torso, cupping her own tits as she began to rock her hips on Fiona's hand.

"Another one," Roni moaned, massaging her own breasts as her head fell back and she lifted her hips just enough. Fiona knew what she wanted, slipping a third finger inside of slippery heat. Roni moaned and sat down on Fiona's hand firmly, pinning it underneath her as she began to rock. Fiona began to ruck her own hips up, forcing her fingers deeper inside of her wife, knowing she liked to feel stretched and full. It was times like these she wished she still could use her magic openly, for she'd love nothing more than to magic herself an appendage and fill her wife to the hilt.

" _Fuck, yes,"_ Roni moaned as she grabbed her own breasts roughly, fingers flicking and tugging at her own nipples. She rocked harder on Fiona's hips, choking noises and whimpers spilling out of her as Fiona curled her fingers and began hitting her gspot with every rock back of Roni's hips, " _I'mgonnacum_ ," She slurred, eyes closed, bottom lip trapped between teeth.

Fiona breathed heavily, watching her in awe as she began to rut her hips upwards as hard as she could to add friction, Roni's arousal coating her fingers and wrist and forearm with her movements. Her free hand gripped the bend between her ass and hip, helping her rock, "Cum for me, darling. Then I want to see you lick it off of my fingers," She hardly recognized her own voice, the arousal deepening it dangerously.

"Jesus, Fiona," Roni gasped and rocked harder, her movements becoming sloppy. Her eyes opened and she looked down, locking gazes with her. Roni's face was flushed, hair wild and lips red from being bitten. Both of her hands came down to press against the bed on each side of Fiona's shoulders. Their faces were inches apart as Roni moaned and continued to rock on her wife's fingers. Fiona curled her digits more, managing to thrust against Roni's gspot harder until she was crying out. Her writhing wife quickly pressed her face into her neck to muffle the sounds as she came hard, screaming into her skin when she clenched on Fiona's fingers.

"Mmm," She couldn't help but moan when she felt how hard Roni came, feeling the arousal trickling down her arm and soaking them both. Roni's hips still squirmed and trembled before slowly coming to a halt as the tremors of her orgasm faded. Fiona smirked when Roni fumbled between them, face still buried in her neck as she gripped Fiona's hand from between her legs and brought it up.

Roni lifted her head after a few moments, breathing heavily as she smirked down at her wife, bringing her long slender fingers between the two of them, "Now what did you say you wanted me to do to these?"

* * *

"Oh, look who showed up on time," Roni smirked and rolled her eyes when David came into the bar, turning back to restocking the keg. The place was empty and she'd even gotten there early to clean and do the books. Nothing made her feel more productive than some morning fun with her dark haired mayor. And fun it was.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," David groaned, running a hand through his messy hair as she came around the bar, "Here, let me do that."

"Gladly," Roni let out a breath, handing it over to him before glancing at the time. They had about ten minutes until opening, so she reached behind her and hoisted herself up on the bar, watching her employee, "So, what's the excuse today? Wife problems?" She teased him.

"Yeah," David rolled his eyes as he hooked the fresh keg up, glancing towards his friend, "Something you know nothing about," He laughed and shook his head.

"Hey, how do you know?" Roni let her mouth drop, reaching out to kick his leg playfully with the tip of her boot, "It's not all a bed of roses."

"Oh yeah, what's so bad about your life with the mayor?" David smirked straightened up once he was done, grabbing a rag to start drying off glasses, "She's hot. She's professional. She greets you every night with dinner ready. And I'm sure fucks you senselessly-"

"Whoa," The brunette raised a brow and her hand, stifling a grin, "That's none of your business. I mean, you're not wrong, but what happens between me and my wife is between us," She smirked jokingly, "So, what's up Mary Margaret's ass that you all are still fighting?"

"She wants me to get another job, says I don't have any ambition," He shrugged, eyes focused on the glass he dried.

"What? This is a great job!" Roni's mouth dropped as she crossed her arms.

"She wants another baby," David sighed, "I still think Neal is too young to even consider it but.."

Regina snorted, "Henry would've thrown a shit fit if we'd have adopted another baby when he was two," She chuckled a little, "Good luck with that."

"Yeah, thanks," He let out a breath with a tired smile, "How's he doing?" He asked more seriously. He was her best friend, after all, and knew almost as much as Fiona did about her thoughts and feelings.

"He's still going to visit Emma," Roni frowned and let out a breath, deciding to pick at her fingernails instead of make eye contact with David. He knew it bothered her without having to vocalize it, anyways.

"He still believing in that storybook thing?" David frowned, throwing the towel over his shoulder as she glanced over at her.

"Yeah, apparently he skipped school yesterday to go see her," Roni sighed and finally made eye contact with him, "I mean, I get that he wants to know her but...She's not exactly mentally stable...and I don't hold that against her but...him going on about this storybook thing just makes me worry, you know? What if he has serious issues? I just don't want him to go through what his biological mother has."

"Hey, even if he does, he has you and Fiona," He replied, turning to her more seriously, "You two are the most dedicated moms I know. You bring the fun and Fiona brings the structure and discipline. You both love that kid, it's obvious. Nobody wants him to struggle, but he has the best support system out there."

"I just," Roni let her head tilt back and stared blankly above her as she collected her thoughts, "Henry's everything, you know? I don't worry about much, but that kid..."

"I know," David put a hand on her shoulder briefly before letting it drop, knowing she wasn't much for affection unless it was with Fiona, "What does Fiona say?"

"Kinda the same, that we'll handle it," Roni shook her head with a frown as she glanced down towards her lap, "She's so strong and reasonable. Honestly, I don't know how she's put up with me for so long. I just freak out and she keeps a level head. I lose my temper and she just stays calm. We're so opposite but.."

"You're perfect together," David nodded as he turned to grab a glass, pouring a draft for his boss, "Everyone can see that. You level each other out. You two could probably take on anything. Henry's storybook could all be real and you two would probably still get through it."

Roni snorted after taking a drink of her beer, pausing to swallow, "You know me and you try to kill each other in that book, right?"

"You mean like on your last birthday when you kept making us all take rounds of your famous Sleeping Curse shot?" David raised an eyebrow playfully.

She chuckled before biting her lip, thinking of the book before trying to remember when she had named the most popular shot on her menu, "Yeah...something like that."


	9. Chapter 9

please review with your thoughts xxx

* * *

"Madam Mayor, to what do I owe the pleasure?" Roni smirked when Fiona came through the door of her bar. She appraised her wife's outfit with approval; a silk button up tucked into a tight pencil skirt and heels that made her look even taller and slimmer. The top of her hair was pulled back and pinned, the rest falling down her back and over her shoulder.

"It's Saturday night," Fiona chuckled and walked in slowly, setting her bag down on one of the bar stools, "And our son is at a sleepover at his friends house, remember?"

"Oh fuck," Roni's eyes grew wide an she dropped the dish towel, she held, "That was this Saturday? Babe, oh god. We were gonna go out I-"

"It's fine," Fiona let out a breath and internally kicked herself for actually being disappointed. These last couple of months with Regina and Henry under the curse had begun to feel so real and natural that it became harder to ignore her feelings.

Especially when Henry's memories began to return and he spoke of the storybook and spending time with Emma before he seemed to reset and start the cycle over. Roni had been a mess over their son wanting to know his biological mother and potentially inheriting her own mental health issues, so Fiona had comforted her and in turn grew fiercely protective.

"No, it isn't," Roni rounded the bar quickly to come towards her, "I'm and idiot, you know how I am with dates, and you even showed me how to set reminders on my phone," She groaned at her own stupidity and shook her head as she ran her hand up Fiona's arms.

"It's not a big deal, darling, I had some paperwork to do anyways," She shook her head and avoided Roni's pleading gaze, not wanting to give it away that it actually bothered her.

"You've been at your office all evening?" Roni frowned deeper, trying to make her look at her.

"You were meant to pick me up," Fiona shrugged and opened her jacket slightly to reveal the little black dress she was wearing for the occasion.

"I'm the worst wife," Roni shook her head quickly, "I'll make it up to you baby, I promise," She reached up to cup her jaw and make Fiona look at her, "C'mon Fi, yell, scream, throw things. Just don't give me the silent treatment."

"Don't use that face on me," Fiona growled through clenched teeth at Roni's pout and the way she was being affectionate, softening her reserve towards her. It was pathetic how quickly she could, but Fiona hadn't felt affection in years, not since the beginning of her first marriage before it went sour, and having her wife's felt so good.

"Which one? This one?" Roni pouted again before grinning. "C'mon, this place is dead. Let me make it up to you. David is in the back he can close."

"How?" Fiona sighed and cocked an eyebrow.

"You'll see," Roni nodded eagerly at the opportunity before running around and beginning to grab an assortment of things. Fiona remained skeptical but tried not to laugh at the spontaneity Roni had that made everything an adventure.

It was odd, how she'd tried to reverse everything with the curse but only seemed to make it work more. She's given Roni traits of her own and in turn had taken more of Regina's old persona. She thought by switching it up that she may avoid her growing feelings for the woman, but it was not so.

"Ready?" Roni ran back out of the kitchen area through the bar with a large paper bag, "C'mon," She grinned when she grabbed Fiona's hand and pulled her with her, making Fiona smirk and shake her own head at the fact she was giving in so easily.

Roni led her outside to her vintage Mustang parked in the alley, going around to open the passenger door for her, "Hop in."

"So chivalrous," Fiona chuckled and rolled her eyes though she couldn't help but smile more genuinely at the way Roni pressed a hand to the small of her back and helped her into the hot rod.

"Now, I know you say my car is too loud," Roni huffed after she ran around to the drivers side and threw herself in, looking at her wife with a grin, "But I seem to remember a certain black haired beauty I met once who liked my car an awful lot."

Fiona raised an eyebrow as she looked at Roni, almost forgetting for a moment the history she'd created for them. Meeting in the mid twenties when Fiona was finishing up her masters degree and Roni had just opened her bar. She'd been on a night out in celebration of graduating and the sexy, curly haired bartender kept sending her free shots. Long story short, this wasn't her first ride in in Roni's black '68 Ford Mustang.

"Who was that, Darling?" Fiona asked with playful confusion after strapping the seatbelt over her waist, sighing when Roni turned the ignition and the beastly machine came roaring to life.

"Naw, we'll see if she can't come out to play tonight," Her wife winked and grinned as she reached out to pat Fiona's knee. She merely shook her head and laughed as Roni grabbed the gear shift, putting it into first gear and spinning out of the alley.

"Roni! What the hell-" Fiona's eyes widened and she grabbed for the handle above her head, putting the other hand on the dash as car came spinning out onto the main road sideways. "You're going to kill us!" She gaped at her wife who merely shifted up as she increased their speed.

"Loosen up, Fi," Roni laughed as she pressed the button for the radio and a Joan Jett song from their teenage years started to blare.

"I'm serious you're going to get us pulled over! I can't be Mayor and get a speeding ticket in downtown!" Fiona continued to fuss, amusing her wife even more.

"Please! Sheriff Jones doesn't scare me," Roni laughed and reached out to run a hand over Fiona's thigh after getting it into fifth gear and maintaining a high rate of speed as they made their way out of downtown, "He drinks me out of rum every time he comes in my bar, and for free. We have a deal."

"You're kidding!" Fiona's mouth dropped at the criminal behavior, looking over at her wife who watched the road with a cocky grin and one hand on the wheel, the other squeezing her thigh.

"Don't worry it's just between us, I wouldn't wanna room my wife's squeaky clean reputation would I?" She smirked and turned down a backroad that led through a wooded area towards the park with a lake.

"What are we doing going to the lake at this hour?" Fiona let out a breath and frowned, "Roni Mills if your idea of apologizing to me for standing me up is to go parking at the lake so you can get your hand down my-" She stopped her rant when they came to a halt, parking near other cars.

"That wasn't my idea, but if you don't want to-" Roni began but Fiona shook her head quickly. She saw couples and family's with blankets spread on the ground, a white screen set up near the lake with a classic movie beginning on the screen.

"I didn't know about this," Fiona raised an eyebrow, "Do they have a permit?" She asked before realizing how uptight she sounded.

"I don't know but I wish I had a permit to remove the stick out of your ass," Roni leaned over and pecked Fiona playfully, "Remember that theater club you worked into the budget and gave them funding for town events? Well here's your good deed coming to life, Madam Mayor. Shall we?"

"O-okay," Fiona glanced at her wife, watching her smile and get out, grabbing the paper bag and a blanket from her backseat before coming around to open her door.

"You sure you want to? I know hangin with the locals isn't your thing and all," Roni asked, looking at her wife seriously as she held the door open and watched her get out. Fiona tended to stick to herself, especially considering how much resistance she sometimes got from citizens and committees who believed she was too structured in her mayoral duties. She knew how long and hard Fiona worked at making the town function and she knew it stung when she heard comments muttered and felt the looks.

"I want to," Fiona smiled at her reassuringly and it made Roni's heart swell as their hands clasped. She held the paper bag in her free arm and Fiona took the blankets with her other to carry, "I forgot how beautiful it was out here in the summer."

"I know it's not dinner reservations at your favorite restaurant," Roni smiled apologetically after they found a more private area off to the side, "But hey I brought provisions," She grinned as she set the bag down and helped Fiona spread the blanket for them to lay on and shake out another one for them to cover up with.

"This actually is a nice change of pace," Fiona admitted as they settled down on the ground, her nerves calming somewhat when she glanced around and didn't see anyone looking their way. The night was growing darker as the film reel played the opening credits and she relaxed, glancing at her wife who was digging through the bag she brought.

"Aha!" Roni smirked as she held up two paper cups and revealed the bottle of wine from the bag, "Your favorite white wine. On the house," She grinned as she handed Fiona the cups and twisted the cork screw in, pulling it out with a quiet pop.

"How generous of Roni's bar to contribute to our date night," Fiona grinned and watched as Roni poured them both generous glasses.

They settled in as the movie went on, getting comfortable in the dark coziness of their more private location. Roni had picked it specifically so that Fiona felt she could relax and wasn't constantly being watched. After killing the first bottle of wine they ended up cuddled up, Roni leaning back against her jacket that she's wadded up and Fiona leaning against her chest. Her hand played mindlessly in Fiona's silky straight hair, smiling at the way her wife was completely relaxed against her, their legs tangled under the blankets.

"What?" Fiona tilted her head up, sensing that Roni was watching her.

"Nothing, I just love you is all," Roni replied with a warm smile and Fiona felt her chest ache at the sincerity she saw in her wife's expression. It wasn't real. Roni was Regina and none of this was real. Regina didn't really love her. But it felt nice to pretend.

"Are you even watching the movie?" Fiona suppressed a smile and pressed a kiss to Roni's exposed shoulder as she stayed curled under her arm. She smiled a little as her eyes found the screen again and she felt Roni nuzzle her lips into her neck, playfully pressing a kiss to it.

"Hmm, I've seen it before," She murmured down Fiona's ear as her lips brushed over it and back to her neck, starting a series of slightly wetter kisses against the mayors skin.

"Roni," Fiona warned in a whispery breath, keeping her eyes on the screen. No one could see them but she still had a reputation to upkeep. No one would take her seriously if they saw her snogging her wife in public.

"Can't do this at your fancy restaurant..." Roni teased and ran a hand up Fiona's thigh under their blanket that shielded their actions to the public, even if it were light enough to see, "I told you I'd make it up to you."

"But in the end you really were just looking for a way to get your hand down my pants," Fiona whispered, eyes fluttering closed when Roni continued her assault on her neck.

"How could that be when you're wearing a skirt?" Roni smirked and began to work the skirt up Fiona's legs a little so she could get her hand between her thighs, "I want to touch you. Do you want me to touch you?"

"Shut up," Fiona murmured frustrated as she turned her head and took Roni's lips in a deep kiss, moaning quietly against them. Roni grinned in victory before dipping her tongue into her wife's mouth, intensifying the kiss until they were making out slowly, quietly, not enough for them to be heard but enough to turn Fiona on.

Roni hummed into Fiona's mouth as she massaged the inside of her thigh, feeling her spread her legs just slightly under the blanket, "Hm," She grinned as she felt the heat coming from her wife's core, knowing she was aroused already.

"We're being too loud," Fiona broke the kiss, glancing around once in the darkness from her own paranoia.

"Baby nobody can see or hear us," Roni smirked and pressed her forehead to Fiona's, her fingertips grazing the lace panties she wore, "Just watch the movie, relax, I'll be discreet," She added in a whisper as she slipped her panties to the side and dipped her fingers into Fiona's wet folds.

Fiona's eyes flickered at her quickly and Roni could see the squint of arousal despite how dim it was. Her wife's eyes turned back to the movie but her bottom lip sucked in between her teeth as she began to slide her fingers across her wife's slit. Fiona was wet, god she never failed to be wet for her, and Roni took full advantage. She rubbed soft circles over her clit, watching Fiona's side profile as she worked her up.

"You better not be this wet for Cary Grant," Roni whispered with a smirk as she leaned in and playfully tugged at Fiona's earlobe, earning a sassy little growl from her wife.

"More like for Sophia Loren," Fiona grinned but her eyes stayed glued to the screen and her hips began to squirm, begging for more friction.

"Bitch," Roni replied playfully before pushing her fingers down, sinking two inside of Fiona slowly. She loved the way she felt, tight and warm and only hers to pleasure. She loved it almost as much as she loved watching Fiona react to pleasure.

Fiona gasped before biting down on her lip, leaning back more on her elbows that propped her up, "At least I have a type."

"I'll give you that," Roni smirked and began to slowly move her fingers between her wife's legs under the covers, curling them slightly as she pulled out and pushed them back in. She knew how to work her up quickly, knew exactly how to get her off in a matter of a few minutes. It was a practice they'd come to perfect when Henry was a toddler and constantly barging in without warning.

"This is obscene," Fiona huffed as she became more worked up, feeling her toes curling and her hips moving with Roni's hand. She couldn't believe she was letting her wife do this to her here, in public. Before as the Dark Fairy she wouldn't have thought twice but that was her past and she knew what that type of uncontrolled behavior could bring. But Roni was so convincing and sexy and, _oh_ , good with her hands.

"This is hot," Roni grinned and bit her bottom lip as she began to rock her hand inside of Fiona faster and harder, fingers curled, base of her palm hitting firmly on Fiona's clit, "God Fiona if we were at home right now-"

"Roni, _I'm-oh-fuck_ ," Fiona whispered quickly and gripped the blanket on the ground underneath them as her body began to tense, her belly began to burn and her hips seem to strain upward on their own. Roni's thrusting fingers began to make an erotic gushing noise, thankfully muffled by the cover, as she drove them into her wife's soaking wet sex. When she added a third finger and continued, Fiona's body began to tremble before her eyes clenched shut and her upper body curled up from the ground as she tended through her silent orgasm.

" _Unnnnh_!" Her sigh was loud when her body relaxed and her head fell back, eyes slowly opening and adjusting to the darkness again. She smirked lazily up at Roni who slowly slipped her hand out of her as she pressed a kiss to the side of Fiona's temple.

"Shhh baby, I'm trying to watch the movie," Roni whispered against the skin on her temple playfully at Fiona's panting, earning a slap on the hip.


	10. Chapter 10

_hi, I haven't forgotten this one. in fact I have a couple of chapters lined up that I will be posting daily...pls review and let me know your thoughts xxx_

* * *

"Kid, what the hell?!" Emma's eyes widened from her hospital room on the first floor when she heard a light peck on her window, looking over to see Henry's face pressed against the glass. She rushed to the window as well as she could manage in the dark, frowning as she pushed the window slowly up. Being here voluntarily did have its perks sometimes...that is if you could call being allowed to have windows that actually opened a perk. She supposed for the mental ward, it was one.

"Help me in," Henry whispered handing Emma the book before reaching in for her hand.

"You're gonna get us both in so much shit," Emma sighed and plopped the fairytale book on her bed before grabbing Henry's hand and hoisting him in, helping him crawl through into her room, "What are you doing here at this hour? Do your moms know where you are?"

"At a sleepover," Henry shrugged a little before pulling his backpack off, "Fiona watches me too closely otherwise, but I found some stuff I wanted to show you."

"What now? It isn't more of this fairytale nonsense is it?" Emma rolled her eyes and came over to sit down beside of him on the edge of her bed.

"You might not be saying that when I show you," Henry raised an eyebrow, "So I told you that back before Fiona cast the curse, me and you and my mom Regina-er-Roni were kinda family. Right?"

"Yeah, you've said," She raised an unamused eyebrow at the fact he wouldn't let it go.

"Well, I found some things hidden in my room," Henry nodded with a frown, "It's a box where I kept the authors pen, so magic keeps it safe from any curse or spell. I had this stuff inside of it," He explained, opening the book that contained photos and documents dear to him.

"A box? That's what you wanted to show me?"

"Not the box," Henry rolled his eyes in frustration at his mother's hesitation, pulling out one of the photos, "Look, it's me you and Mom."

Emma frowned quickly, reaching for the photo in his hands to pull it closer to her, "Why...what the hell is Roni wearing?"

"It isn't Roni, her name is Regina," Henry felt a bit of his hope restore at the way his blonde mothers eyes scanned the photo with a furrowed brow. "She's the actual mayor. You were the sheriff, see your badge?" He added, pointing to the picture, "You two had a special connection...she adopted me and when I got the storybook, I found you and made you come back here."

"To break the curse," Emma repeated, implementing she'd heard him tell the story so much she'd memorized it. "This doesn't prove anything kid. Maybe it was Halloween or something-"

"Wouldn't I be dressed up then?" He rolled his eyes at her lame attempt at denial, "Look, before Fiona's curse, I'm pretty sure my mom tried to get you to not marry Hook."

"Hook? Who the hell is Hook?!" Emma's eyes widened at the news.

"Killian Jones," Henry shook his head with a frown, "You two were engaged. But you and Regina always had a thing for each other. I think she told you because something happened and you two were crazy distant from that point on."

"This is insane, kid," Emma muttered in disbelief as she gazed down at the photo. It was a candid taken at a diner, looking to be during some kind of celebration. She and Roni were gazing at each other with big dopey smiles on their faces, Henry sat in between them.

"You gotta admit, that's pretty solid evidence," He pushed, seeing her struggling with trying to figure this out logically. "My mom was in love with you...and I'm pretty sure at one point you were in love with her, too. And right now this curse is keeping everybody apart. You saved us once, Mom. Now you've gotta do it again."

"How am I supposed to do that?" Emma gaped at her son, trying to process all of the information. She hated herself for even considering that there may be some truth behind all of this, but the photo was pretty convincing. The look exchanged between this Regina and herself in the photo was rather similar to that of two people in love, though she had no recollection of it. Was that because of her mental breakdown? Or was there really a curse after all?

* * *

 _Gold's Law Firm_

Fiona smiled to herself as she made her way down the sidewalk towards her son's law firm. In this curse she'd wanted him to make an honest living, while still doing something he was good at. Being a lawyer was the natural choice for him, seeing as he was better at making deals than anyone in this godforsaken realm. At the same time being a lawyer was respectable in this world and he'd be admired.

It wasn't easy, keeping up the facade of friendship to him and around him, but she was finally getting to know the son she'd fought so hard for at the beginning of his life. She thought that by cutting his fate at being the Savior and keeping the powers she'd stolen, she would be able to protect him from whatever came his way. But the Blue Fairy was an unforgiving little bitch and had banished her instead. She knew how it looked, that her son would probably blame her and never understand, but she'd done what she thought was right at the time.

So in this curse she'd given him a comfortable life and retained him as her town lawyer so that she would have excuses to spend time with him. Other than Roni, he was pretty much her only friend in Storybrooke. The rest of the residents didn't really understand her snark and considered her an uptight workaholic. She was only invited to things because everybody wanted Roni at events and they made that fact well aware. Her wife was the life of the party, after all. But her son shared her same sense of humor and dry wit, making him an easy confidant in a town where their personalities made them outsiders.

She opened the front door of his office and closed it behind her, giving a glance around to see that he wasn't out front. Careful not to spill their hot teas, she made her way with the two cups across the old wooden floors to the back where she'd often find him around this hour.

"Mr. Gold?" She called out casually so that she wouldn't startle him, making her way around the counter, "Before you start to argue, you're taking time for a break," She chuckled as she her way into the back.

"I brought you-" Her eyes scanned the empty room before dropping to the floor. A pit formed instantly in her stomach and a gasp left her mouth as she dropped both paper cups of tea and stumbled forward to the middle of the room towards the child she had carried, the boy she'd given everything up for, the man she was only just now getting to know.

"Rumple!" She brought her hands to his shoulders after dropping to her knees beside of him, shaking him rather roughly, though his expression and body remained limp. The blue tinge to his facial features made a sob escape her, "Rumple!" She cried out, shaking him again before leaning down to press her ear to his chest, hearing no activity inside.

"No, no no!" She lifted her head back up and cupped his face, anguish ripping through her at the knowledge that her only child was dead.

* * *

 _Roni's Bar_

"Hey, you hear the news?" David frowned when he came into Roni's bar, seeing her behind the counter getting the place prepared to open per their usual afternoon routine.

"What? That you're late?" Roni rolled her eyes with a smirk, shaking her head before looking back down at the tray of glasses she was polishing, "Yeah that's not new, Nolan. What was it this time? Mary Margaret leave you on diaper duty with Neal?"

"Ha ha," He rolled his eyes with a chuckle before approaching the bar, his expression turning more serious, "No, uhm, Mr. Gold died."

"What?" Roni raised a brow, looking up from her task suddenly. "How?"

"They think a heart attack," David shrugged with a frown, "But I thought you'd wanna know that Fiona found him...I knew they were friends, I guess she was pretty shaken up when the emergency services got there."

"Shit," Roni's eyes widened and she dropped the dish towel quickly, "You good handling this place by yourself today?"

David was barely able to give a nod before Roni was already rounding the counter and grabbing her Mustang keys, "Thanks, Nolan, you're a saint."

* * *

 _108 Mifflin_

"Oh god," Roni whispered under her breath when she opened their bedroom door, seeing her wife in the floor with her knees tucked up to her chest and her face resting on her arms. Her hair was disheveled, heels kicked off and the blazer to her suit discarded a few feet from her. Fiona rarely showed her emotions, but when she did let them out it was like a dam bursting. As if everything she'd held in was outpouring at once, wracking her body with grief.

"Baby, I came as soon as I heard," She said softly, quickly coming down onto her knees beside her wife and pulling her into an embrace, "I'm so sorry."

"He-he was..so pale," Fiona stuttered in between sobs into Roni's neck, "He was cold..h-he had been there so long he was cold."

"I'm so, so sorry," Roni murmured, heart breaking for her wife as she held her tightly. One arm wrapped around her back in a snug embrace, the other one cupping the back of Fiona's head, fingers threading through hair. Fiona didn't make friends easily and Mr. Gold was the one person in town that seemed to understand Fiona. Roni had never really understood the appeal to him, but during the brief moments she'd seen them interact she'd realized they shared the same dry wit and to the point personalities.

"He died alone," Her wife lifted her head, her dark eyes red and overflowing with tears. Her expression made Roni's heart ache for her and the hurt she felt vibrating from Fiona's body was almost overwhelming.

"Shh, let's get you into bed," Roni kissed Fiona's temple before gently helping her up off of the floor, sitting her on the edge of the bed. She smiled weakly at her as she lifted her blouse up over her head, seeing the despondent expression on Fiona's face as she went along with the movements. Roni removed her skirt next before pulling the covers back and helping her under them. Fiona curled into a ball, her back to Roni, before feeling her wife's warm body join her under the covers behind her.

Fiona could barely form sentences, not that it would matter. Words couldn't convey the heartache she felt and she couldn't very well explain to Roni why Rumple's death had broken her. Her son, the whole reason she had fought to leave the Dark Realm and create this curse so they could be together, was gone forever. She had nothing left that was real.

Her wife only loved her because of a curse. She had no children. No one truly cared about her. No one in this realm truly knew who she was. And if they did, they'd only try to kill her. Getting to know her own child had been the one driving force making this all worth it. The one thing that had helped her find contentment in a spouse that only loved her because of magic. And he was gone.

* * *

 _Storybrooke General_

Henry slid into the chair opposite his biological mother at the mental ward, "Good news!"

"Good morning to you, too?" Emma raised a brow, letting out a breath, "What's got you in such a good mood?"

"Mom and Fiona were fighting this morning," Henry leaned in, glancing around before speaking a little quieter, "Ever since Mr. Gold died, Fiona has been snippy and depressed. Mom tries to be there for her, but nothing she does seems to be right in Fiona's eyes. They had an argument this morning and Fiona left for work without even making up. They never go their separate ways when they're angry."

"And this is good news?" Emma shook her head with a frown, "Henry come on, that's terrible."

"No, it's not," Henry let out a breath, "Look you could get released today! With Fiona sidetracked and Dr. Hopper doing his re-evaluation on you today, he could let you go. Then you'd be free to help me break this curse."

"Who said I even believe in this curse?" She rolled her eyes and leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms.

"The expression on your face when you saw the photo of you and Mom," Henry leveled with her seriously, "And as soon as you're out of here and off those meds they're keeping you on, your memories are going to start coming back, trust me."

"Right. And then, how do you think we're going to break this curse, kid?"

"With True Love's kiss," Henry shook his head exasperatedly. Never did he think at this point in his life he'd have to explain such a basic principle of magic to someone who was one of the greatest wielders of it.

"Between who?" Emma's brows furrowed in confusion.

"You and my Mom. Are you following anything I say?" Henry sighed.

"Me and your mom?" His blonde mother's eyes widened, "Kid, we don't even know each other. How is true love's kiss gonna work if she doesn't know she's in love with me?"

"Because you love her, and like I said, once you're off this medicine, you'll get your memories back," Henry nodded intently, "Then you'll have to get to know her and make it happen. Even if she doesn't remember, it's still the laws of magic; whoever shared true love at the time of the curse can break it with true love's kiss at any time. Even if they aren't in love anymore."

"This is insane."

"No, this is our lives."

* * *

 _108 Mifflin_

Roni frowned, untying the apron from her neck and hanging it up before heading out of the kitchen to the foyer. She thought about her wife as she made her way up the steps, worrying about her well-being. The loss of her friend seemed to have put her into a sort of depression, making her push everyone away from her, even herself. She'd seen Fiona go through moods before, but nothing like this. She'd never cut her out so completely.

It hurt, to say the least, that Fiona wouldn't let her be there for her. They shared a life, a home, a son, yet nothing she did right now was right in Fiona's eyes. How was she supposed to take care of her wife when she wouldn't even let her in? She tried not to take it personally, but it had been three weeks now that her wife's persona had seemed to crumble. She didn't care about anything anymore besides work and coming home to drink herself to sleep.

She made her way down the hall, quietly pushing open their bedroom door. Fiona didn't move at the slight noise the door made, though she could tell by her breathing that her wife wasn't asleep. She walked over to the bed, gently sitting down on the edge.

"Fi, are you going to come down for dinner?" She asked softly, running a hand over her back, seeing her face nuzzled in the pillow, half hidden by her hair.

"Not hungry," She mumbled without turning to look at her.

"Henry has been asking where you are..."

Fiona almost had to laugh at the absurdity of Roni's little lie. Henry despised her, and rightfully so. He despised her in the way that Roni should, that Regina most definitely would. It made her feel pathetic that the only person trying to help her was someone she had trapped into a marriage. Someone who didn't love her at all. "Please, Henry couldn't care less."

"Don't say that, Fi, he loves you," Roni frowned, biting down on her bottom lip.

"Is that why he barely looks at me?" Fiona chuckled bitterly before turning her head just a touch, making eye contact with Roni, "You're his mother, not me. No matter how hard I tried to make us all a family, I'm not part of it and I never will be."

"Where in the hell is all of this coming from?" Roni's eyes widened and she watched Fiona sit up.

"Where is it coming from? You really want to know?" Fiona's eyes were dark and sullen, all spark of love and life devoid, "All of my life all I wanted was people who genuinely cared for me and having people to care for in return. I never wanted power, I never wanted material things. I just wanted to be happy, I just wanted love."

"You're saying we don't have that?" Hurt flashed across her wife's olive features as she tilted her head to the side.

"Listen, Roni," Fiona laughed bitterly and turned her head away from her, unable to look her in the eyes anymore, "You may think you love me, you may believe that we have that connection, but it's all a lie. I don't deserve you or Henry."

"That's bullshit," Roni's temper got the best of her then, grabbing one of Fiona's hands to hold and make her look at her, "I love you. Henry loves you. We're a family. And the only thing standing in between you and us is yourself."

"I wish it were that simply," Fiona's jaw clenched and her eyes glossed with unshed tears as she kept eye contact with her, "I really do."


	11. Chapter 11

_hiiii :) xxx_

* * *

 **Two Months Later...**

"You look like you've had some fun on the job," Emma laughed when she walked into Roni's bar, making her way over to sit in front of her at the counter. She could tell by the way the brunette's cheeks were a little flushed and hair slightly more tousled than usual that Roni was most likely matching every shot she poured with one of her own.

"Yeah, it's a real party," Roni rolled her eyes sarcastically, automatically getting a couple of glasses for them. It had become somewhat routine after she finished her shift down at the department. After being released by Doctor Hopper, she'd gotten a filing and secretarial job at the police station with the hopes of someday working in the actual force itself. Life was starting to get back to normal for her and she was happy for the first time in a while.

Of course since her release, Henry had come up with any kind of excuse to get she and Roni in the same room and it had surprisingly worked. She liked Roni's sense of humor and personality. She didn't judge her for past or treat her any differently. Besides, they shared a kid. One that Roni's wife hadn't been very interested in as of late.

"What's up?" Emma asked, taking the glass of whiskey from her friend as she leaned her elbows on the bar.

"The usual," Roni shrugged with a frown, "Raising my kid like a single mother, practically. My wife hates me and won't even tell me why. Working myself to death. What about you?"

"Being Killian's filing bitch," She smiled when a faint smirk flickered on Roni's features, "And trying to convince him I'm not crazy so that I can get promoted to something else. You know, the usual."

"Seems we're both living the dream," Roni sighed and took a sip of her whiskey.

"Things getting worse at home then?" Emma smiled weakly, watching Roni. Her eyes looked tired, lacking the usual vibrance they used to carry.

"Honestly? Who knows," Roni frowned and bent over a little to lean her knows on the bar to the side of Emma's, "She goes to work early and makes sure she's in bed before I'm home. I never see her."

"Damn," Emma frowned, "All this over Mr. Gold dying?"

"I know right? It's like it flipped a switch in her. She says crazy things like she doesn't deserve us and anything she can use to push me away," She glanced down as she swished her drink around the glass, "I'm driving myself crazy - legitimately crazy...I mean the other night I wondered if she and Gold were more than friends...like if she was in love with him and having an affair..."

"Even though she's gay?" Emma raised an eyebrow skeptically.

"She was married to a man before she met me," Roni shrugged before shaking her head and running a hand over her face, "See what I mean? I'm becoming a lunatic. I just don't know how to help her."

"I'm sorry you're going through this," Emma frowned and reached out to lay her hand on top of Roni's on the bar. A soft gasp left her mouth when she felt the electric current at her fingertips touching Roni's skin, quickly looking up to questioningly to see if the brunette had felt the same. When their eyes met she felt an odd sensation in her chest as her mind became cloudy with flashes of memories. Regina's smile. Henry's birthday. Mary Margaret and David hugging her.

"Emma?" Roni watched her with a curious expression, seeing the different emotions playing on her pale features, "Are you okay?"

"What? Uh," Emma shrugged it off, quickly retracting her hand from Roni's, "I'm fine, I, uh, just remembered I'm late for something. Gotta go. Catch you at the deli for lunch tomorrow?"

"I..guess," The bar owner watched in confusion as the blonde stood and rambled all the way to the door before exiting in a flash. She took a deep breath and frowned at her friend's odd behavior before reaching out and picking up her barely touched drink, downing it herself. If she was going home to a dark house and a wife who slept as far away from her as she could, at least she would do it drunk.

* * *

Fiona woke to the sound of her wife stumbling around in their room, trying to be quiet but failing miserably in the dark as she fell into their dresser. She sighed and rolled onto her back, irritation bubbling within her at being disturbed. The room was dark but her eyes were adjusting, making out Roni's form as she tried to stand on one leg and pull her boot off of the opposite foot.

"Shit-fuck!" Roni hissed as she fell sideways, catching her fall with an arm on the bedpost. "Come off you bastard," She groaned, tugging the other boot off and throwing it across the floor before beginning to strip down to her boy shorts and bra.

"I'm sorry, did I wake you?" She slurred as she crawled under the covers, smirking when she caught Fiona watching her.

"Seeing as how it is 2:00 AM and you're stumbling in drunk, yes, you've woken me," Fiona replied with a bite, watching Roni inch her way over towards her.

"Let me make it up to you," She grinned, climbing over her wife's body as she began peppering her chest with kisses.

"I'm not in the mood-" Fiona began, biting down on her bottom lip hard. She was lying, she wanted Roni so much, but this was Regina. This was a curse and it wasn't real. This woman didn't really want her and the sooner she came to terms with that, the better.

"I can get you there," Roni replied playfully as she scraped her teeth over the swell of her wife's breast, "C'mon Fi, I want you so bad."

"Where have you been? And why are you so drunk?" Fiona frowned, not knowing why she was so irritated by the fact that Roni had been having fun without her.

"I was at work, geez," Her curly haired wife groaned and lifted her head to look down at her, "Emma stopped by for a few drinks, she left and I had a few more then came home to you."

"You and Henry's biological mother have been getting quite chummy lately," Fiona laughed bitterly up at her wife, pushing herself onto her elbows, making Roni sit up as well to straddle her waist.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean, Fi?" Roni's brows drew down as she looked back at her. "What are you getting at?"

"You're always with her! You go to lunch together, she comes to your bar," She narrowed her eyes, "You think I don't pay attention, but I do."

"She's a friend. One I've spent time with yes, because we share a son, and because you never want to do things with me now," Roni shook her head, throwing up her hands in frustration, "I've tried to be here for you Fiona but you won't let me. So you can't be mad at me for living my life."

"You mean I can't get mad at you for replacing me," She corrected, glaring up at Roni. "It didn't take long after Hopper let her out of the ward that you and Henry's birth mother became friends. What is it, Roni? You think if you get close to her that you won't lose him to her? Or do you just want her and Henry is your excuse?!"

"Are you kidding me?" Roni's temper took control, "You're making this my fault? All because you changed when that fucking weirdo Gold died?!"

Fiona's mouth dropped, eyes filling with tears, "I cared very deeply for him. Take that back!"

"Why should I?!" Roni snapped, rolling over to stand up from the bed and start pacing, "You fucking shut me out when he died. You were more upset about that than anything I've ever seen you be sad about. You have nothing to do with our son. All you do is work. What was so important about that man that his death has wrecked our lives?!"

"Because he was special to me!" Fiona yelled back at her, voice growling now through her tears, "And I shouldn't have to defend it or try to explain it to you. You're my wife. You should get that!"

"Were you fucking him?!" Roni crossed her arms, glaring at Fiona as she stood from the bed herself.

Fiona swallowed the urge to slap her, stepping up to her on cold hardwood floors, the tension between them pulsing, "Go to hell, Roni."

"Already there, babe," She bit back with a sarcastic smile, instantly regretting it when she saw the hurt that Fiona's eyes couldn't hide before she pushed past her to leave their room.

* * *

Henry spotted the bright yellow volkswagon as soon as he exited his school, quickly making his way across the courtyard. Emma usually never caught up with him so blatantly in public due to Fiona's watchful eye, but he was glad she was becoming less intimidated by his fake mother.

"Ma, what's up?" He smiled as he jogged up to the window, pulling on the door before throwing his bookbag in the floorboard and sliding in. "Ma?" He frowned when he glanced at her expression.

"I remember, Henry," She looked at him seriously, "I remember everything. I touched Regina's hand last night at the bar and it was like...I don't know, it was like electricity. And that night my memories started flooding back to me."

"Oh my god, that's great!" Her son's mouth nearly hit his lap, "And with my other mom, what do you remember? Did she admit her feelings to you before the curse? Is that why you guys stopped speaking as much?"

"Yeah," Emma looked down, her stomach dropping at the mention of that day.

"Did you love her, too?" Henry asked with hope filled eyes.

"Yeah kid, but I was scared," She looked up at him finally, pleading with her expression that he understand, "Hook was the safe option because he could never break my heart."

"Then it could work!" He nearly jumped out of his seat, "If you kissed mom, it could actually work! True Love's Kiss could break the curse!"

"Henry I can't just kiss her! Our relationship isn't like that, we're friends in this realm. She doesn't even know who she is," Emma let her head fall back against the headrest.

"Then make it romantic. Or talk to her, tell her the truth, see if she'll agree to kiss you and see what happens!"

"You've got an answer for everything, don't you Kid?"

"Come over for dinner this evening. Fiona has town hall meetings until 8PM, so it's just gonna be mom and me. She's feeling lonely right now anyways with the way she and Fiona are fighting. Trust me, she'll like it if you come."

* * *

Emma watched in fascination at Roni throwing dishes in the sink to clean later, knowing herself Regina would never just leave them. Seeing the differences now was actually kind of amusing, thinking of what Regina would say if she found herself dressed like that. It had been a good evening, the two of them and their son having dinner before he excused himself upstairs for homework and bed time. Since then they'd cleared a bottle of wine, joked and laughed like they'd been friends for years.

Roni was actually kind of nice, but she missed Regina's haughty, superior attitude and prissy nature. Roni was too much like herself and there was nothing for them to argue about, which was half of the fun with Regina. Their fights would simmer a sexual tension that was nearly crippling and she missed having someone who challenged her in the way Regina did. Killian certainly wasn't equipped to.

"Want me to help with dishes?" She suggested, leaning back against the counter and taking a sip of her wine.

"Nah, we'll leave them. It'll piss Fi off," Roni laughed with a shrug before reaching for her wine, "That's the only reaction I can get from her these days."

"Things still a mess?" Emma frowned with an understanding nod.

"That's an understatement," Roni snorted and took a sip of her wine. "She'll be furious when she finds out you're here."

"Me?" The blonde laughed a little, raising her eyebrow, "I don't know why someone as powerful as your wife would be intimidated by someone who just got released from a mental ward."

"She thinks we have a thing for each other, a special bond over Henry, I don't know," Roni shook her head, obviously having a few drinks too many that she was sharing private things, "I mean that's silly, right? Just because she's pushing me away and I've made a new friend doesn't mean I'm going to cheat, right?"

"So she thinks because we've gotten to know each other that we have an ulterior motive here," Emma frowned and swirled her glass of wine contemplatively, "I mean I won't lie, Roni...There are other reasons I've wanted to get to know you. Things that Henry and I have discussed. But I also think you're a genuine person and someone I could be friends with."

"What do you mean, things you and Henry have discussed?" Roni asked, leaning back against the kitchen island opposite of Emma.

"Listen, I know you're open minded, but...this," Emma let out a laugh, "This is story sounds insane and if I tell you, you're gonna have me committed again."

"You're freaking me out, Em," Roni frowned deeper, shifting on her feet, "Go for it, tell me this wild story and I'll tell you what I think."

"You're sure?" Emma raised a brow skeptically.

"Quit stalling, chicken."

"All right all right," Emma's eyes widened and she gulped down her last bit of wine before looking Roni in the eyes, "Henry came to me a while back with this crazy idea that we're...all fairytale characters...and that we're under a curse so we don't remember our own identities...He says that the curse can only be broken by true love's kiss, and he says that uh...you and I were in love when the curse was cast so uh, we'd be the ones to break it..."

"Henry goes through phases where he talks about this storybook thing," Roni frowned and shook her head quickly, "I do hope you're not feeding into it."

"Look I wasn't," Emma replied cautiously, "But he uh...showed me something that I can't explain...I was hoping you could," She said, reaching into her back pocket to pull out the photo of the three of them.

"What the hell?" Roni took the photo quickly, staring at her clothing and the way she and Emma gazed at each other, "When was this? What am I wearing?"

"Henry says that you're actually the mayor and I'm the sheriff...That uhm, Fiona cast the curse," Emma shrugged, giving Regina a weak smile at her confusion, "I know, it's just as baffling to me."

"This...this is crazy. This photo has to be edited, this...this can't be real," Roni shoved the photo back into Emma's hands.

"That's what I thought, but it looks pretty real to me," Emma put the photo back in her pocket and shifted uncomfortably, "And then I uh...got my memories back."

"What?" Roni snapped, looking up at her impatiently to explain.

"The night at your bar when I touched your hand it...jogged my memories," Emma glanced towards the floor, "Henry is telling the truth," She added before looking up at her seriously.

"And I'm supposed to believe the woman who just got out of the psych ward?" Roni eyed her skeptically.

"You have to admit, something feels off about everything," Emma let out a breath, "I don't expect you to believe me. I'm just telling you what Henry told me and...so far he hasn't been wrong."

"And Henry thinks that us kissing will break this curse?" Roni shook her head with a frown.

"Uh, yeah," The blonde shifted her gaze to Roni's, eyes flickering down at her lips momentarily, "I know it's crazy but what if we just did it to see what happens...If nothing, then we can forget about it, but what if this is real? What if it's the answer to the reason I don't know how I ended up in the mental hospital? The reason Fiona is being strange? The reason Henry won't stop talking about it?"

Fiona stopped suddenly before inserting her key in the lock at the front door of her home when movement in the kitchen caught her eye. She could see through the window pane into her kitchen, her stomach sinking when she found Emma and Regina in what looked to be an intense conversation. They were merely a foot apart, Emma's expression pleading and Regina's one of utter confusion.

She internally cursed herself for ever becoming sidetracked with her sons death, for it led to Hopper making his own decisions, like the one to release Emma. And here the Savior was, in her kitchen, undoubtedly trying to make her move on Regina. Her heart beat thunderously in her chest as the conversation seemed to halt for a moment, the two women simply looking at each other.

Then Emma lifted her hands, cupping her wife's face and pulling her to her slowly until their lips touched. Fiona's heart felt like it was being ripped in two as the last thing that made her life worth living was destroyed, seeing the radiant rainbow wave ripple from the two women in the kitchen and outward into the realm. The remnants of her heart shattered with the knowledge that it had been True Love's Kiss between them. Logically she had known Regina's affections for her were only curse deep, but to physically see it was another story all it's own.

It only registered with her when she saw Roni's mouth drop as she looked back at Emma and down at herself that the curse was officially broken. People would begin to remember who they really were and with Emma and Henry's help, they'd know exactly who had caused this. She bit her lip hard to keep her emotions at bay, turning to return down the walk to her own car. People trying to kill her she could live with, but Regina hating her, she could not.


	12. Chapter 12

_sorry for the wait! busy busy busy...please review!_

* * *

"What the hell am I wearing?!" Regina glanced down at her denim skinny jeans and leaopoard print tank top, her brow furrowing as she came back to herself. When she lifted her gaze, familiar green eyes looked back at her with hopeful warmth, catching her off guard at the vulnerability lingering in those depths.

Emma shook her head, shoving her hands into her back pockets as she glanced down, "So uh, it looks like we've got a new problem on our hands."

"Yeah, a new villain to defeat, it's kind of the theme around here," Regina retorted when she looked back to Emma, tugging at how tight all of her clothing was, making her feeling uncomfortable. Anger bubbled within her that anyone have the audacity to curse her, let alone change her style, "That bitch."

"Not just that, Regina-" Emma studied the tip of her boot as she hesitated before the moment was intruded upon.

"Moms!" Henry stormed into the kitchen breathlessly, "I saw the rainbow wave, did you break the curse?!"

"Yeah, kid, we did," Emma gave a tight smile to her son as he took giant leaps towards them, giving them each a bear hug.

"Was it true love's kiss?" He raised a brow when he pulled back, glancing at each of them. Regina and Emma exchanged a shocked glance before looking back to him, both stuttering a bit. "So it was. I knew it! I knew you could break Fiona's curse!"

Regina forced a smile, her stomach tying itself in knots as her mind raced. It was all so absurd how her cursed life had been. Owning a bar, being married to Fiona, and even dressing differently. Her fun, carefree side had dominated her entire personality and she almost felt lightheaded as the old heaviness flooded back into her heart.

Emma's phone rang, luckily deflecting from their sons statement, prompting her to pull it out quickly, "It's Dad, one minute."

Regina nodded, frowning herself when Emma's expression grew dark. She and Henry listened to the call, waiting for the news that was obviously not going to be good.

"I'll be there in a few minutes," Emma nodded with a grim look as she ended the call and shoved her phone back into her jeans, "Dad says theres an angry mob at the clock tower, they've got Fiona cornered. I gotta go."

Regina bit her lip at the way worried bubbled within her, despite how furious she was with Fiona. Her heart was clearly not back to normal yet, for she still felt a pull to help the woman. Her mind was racing, heart pounding as she tried to process all that had happened in merely minutes.

"I'm coming with you. Henry you stay here."

* * *

"Everybody get back!" David yelled at the top of his lungs, pushing through the crowd of citizens. It was nearing dark, making it harder to see and an eery energy fill the streets. "Let us through!"

"I've got them," Regina nodded when the crowd didn't budge, lifting her hand to use the force of her magic to separate them, "What the-" Her heart nearly stopped when nothing came out, realizing her magic wasn't working. A quick, questioning glance at Emma who looked just as confused at her own hands told her that it wasn't just her own.

"What's going on?!" David frowned quickly when nothing happened.

"Magic isn't working," Regina replied, her stomach sinking, "Oh god. Magic isn't working! She can't defend herself!"

Emma's eyes widened as the three of them looked at each other before closing in on the mob, fighting their way through the people. Regina was thankful they didn't question her on whether or not they needed to save Fiona. The heroes had stopped the mob from harming her when her own curse was broken, so she knew they'd do the right thing.

Dread filled her as Emma and David pushed through to the inner ring that surrounded Fiona, though they could not see her, "Everybody, get away from her!" Charming yelled, pulling his gun out and shooting it twice in the air. The crowd shuffled back from them, leaving a wide circle around where the three of them stood.

"Fiona," Regina gasped at the brunette laying unconcious on the ground, face bruised and seemingly unconcious. She darted towards the woman, landing unceromoniously on her knees as she felt for a heartbeat and let out a sigh of relief when she found one. David and Emma continued to yell at the crowd, walking the circle to push them back, instructing them to go home and let the law handle the woman who cursed them.

"I came as soon as I could," Snow pushed through the dispersing people, running up to Fiona and Regina as she knelt down on the ground as well, "We need to get her to a hospital."

"Are you kidding me? Whale was one of the ring leaders in this, no doubt!" Regina shot a glare at her insipid formal enemy, "No one will treat her there, nor can we trust them with her."

"If we don't lock her up, people will riot," David said, letting out a deep breath as he reholstered his gun, keeping an eye on the people leaving the scene.

"We can't put her in a jail cell, she has broken bones, no doubt!" Regina snapped, her tension not going unnoticed by Snow.

"Dad is right, we just promised these angry people that we would do something about her," Emma bit down on her bottom lip as she stepped up to them, watching Regina put a hand under Fiona's head to keep it off of the pavement. "If we don't, we'll lose control of them entirely. Then we're all in danger."

"Plus, we need to figure out why your magic isn't working," David raised a brow and turned around to face them once the scene was clear.

"We need to find out where Rumple last hid his Book of Spells," Regina mumbled, keeping her eyes on Fiona's breathing. "It's what I used after the first curse broke to get magic working again here."

"Which brings us to the even bigger problem. If Gold is dead, who is the new Dark One?" Emma glanced at them all, their own expressions mirroring her worried one.

"We clearly have a lot to figure out," Snow shook her head, "But first, we need to get her out of the street. It's the right thing to do."

"And she has information we need," David clenched his jaw, earning a glare from Regina at his callous nature. It seemed like only yesterday that those snide remarks were aimed at her, making it almost personal when they were directed at a fellow villain.

"I'll take her to my house, with magic not working and her injuries, she won't be going anywhere," Regina said firmly, giving them all a look that suggest they ought not argue with her, "Charming, I need you to pick her up and put her in a vehicle. I've checked her neck, it's okay. She's no doubt a couple broken ribs, though, so be gentle."

"We'll help you get her home," Snow gave a nod, putting a hand on Regina's shoulder, "Don't worry."

* * *

Regina sat in the chaise in her room, gazing towards the bed where Fiona lay still unconcious. They'd managed to get her to the mansion and transport her upstairs. She'd decided to put her in what had been their bed since the master bedroom had a bathroom in it, which would make caring for her easier. She'd reassured the Charmings that she could handle her and sent them on their way with plans to meet up the next day to work on finding Rumple's Spell Book.

Now she sat in the dark room, trying to sort out her feelings about the entire mess. There hadn't been a quiet moment to think prior to this and she was mentally exhausted, proving sorting everything out to be difficult even now. It was like she'd been living in a dream under the curse and now that she was awake things were foggy, her emotions all over the place and her heart being tugged in a million different directions.

What plagued her the most is why she felt the need to personally care for Fiona. She had entrapped her in a marriage she did not choose for the second time in her life. The thought caused red hot anger to bubble within her, made her want to reach into Fiona's chest and clench her heart until it dissolved into a pile of ash. She had convinced her in the curse that her son was crazy. Had locked Emma up. Why didn't she convince the heroes to just let the mob take care of the woman?

The other part of her internal battle was remembering the way she felt under the curse. She had been in love with Fiona. In the deep, soulmate kind of love. She remembered how soft Fiona had been with her, how mutual the affection had seemed. Why had she chosen her, anyways? After she'd refused to help her back in the Enchanted Forest during the missing year. It didn't make any sense and not being able to figure it out frustrated Regina. She was so used to being able to read people and their motives, but recently it felt like she'd lost her touch.

Then there was Emma, who had looked most reluctant to leave her tonight. Since the kiss shared between them that broke the spell, it seemed as if the sheriff was seeing her for the first time. The way she looked at her, those green eyes so full of warmth, made old feelings begin to stir in Regina. She couldn't help the hope that warmed her heart when she considered that True Love's Kiss was mutual, meaning that the blonde must have a place in her heart for her.

She laid her head against the corner of the chaise and let out a deep breath, closing her eyes and pinching the bridge of her nose at the headache she was beginning to get. Overwhelmed was the only way to describe the way she felt. Her heart felt heavy and light at the same time. _Where was the Book of Spells? What would they decide to do about Fiona? And what would happen between she and Emma?_

* * *

 _Gold's Shop_

"So, Fiona woken up yet?" Emma asked casually as she scanned the bookshelves. Regina chose the less obvious places, rifling through shelves and boxes of antiques Gold had yet to set out. It felt odd to be back in here and maybe even a bit unnerving considering they did not know who the new Dark One was yet.

"No, she was still asleep when your Mom and David showed up to keep an eye on her," Regina let out a breath, not looking up at the sheriff. She tucked her straightened hair behind her ear, finally feeling comfortable again in a pair of slacks and a blazer. Things were back to normal again, at least appearance wise, but she couldn't help the feeling that she was taking a step backwards when she looked in the mirror this morning.

"Mom and Dad think we should move her to the jail whenever she's able. Then we'll do a trial."

"Yes, well, it will be sometime before she'd ready to live at the station, Swan."

"Really?" Emma turned, leaning back against the counter as she glanced over toward the area Regina was searching in, "Or are you just trying to postpone it?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Regina's eyes flickered up from the box she looked through, brows furrowing at the blonde.

"I mean, you seem pretty worried about her. Like you don't want anything to happen to her. I just want you to remember that she cursed you and those feelings aren't real. She doesn't actually care about you, not the way we do," Emma troubled her bottom lip with her teeth, gaze faltering from the dark eyes that watched her.

"You think I'm going to forget all about what she's done simply because I was desperately alone before?" Regina let out a bitter chuckle, "You amuse me, Miss Swan."

"I'm just saying..." The blonde shook her head in an attempt to explain herself better, "I think we all do things, like maybe fall into relationships we believe we're supposed to be in for whatever reason...it's only human..."

"What are you getting at, Emma?" Regina leveled with her now, locking gazes with the sheriff.

"I just don't want you to fall into something that isn't meant for you," Emma replied slowly, "Maybe like I have before."

"With Neal?" Regina's brow raised.

"Or more recently," Emma countered, gazing at Regina knowingly, "Maybe I went with something because it made sense instead of realizing what was real."

Regina felt a knot forming in her throat, her stomach flipping at the possibilities of this conversation. Was Emma trying to hint to her that she was realizing Killian was a mistake? "Don't play with me."

"Regina, I'm not," Emma frowned deeply, "I wouldn't.."

"I spilled my heart out to you and you married him. You rejected me," Her voice was barely above a whisper, emotional and hoarse. "And now you want to say that you might have made a mistake? What am I supposed to do with that?"

"I...I don't know, Regina, I-"

"Stop it," Regina closed her eyes and regained her composure, taking a deep breath as she tilted her head back momentarily. When she spoke again she was aloof and collected, "We don't have time for this. We need to find the Spell Book, get our magic back and figure out who the Dark One is."

* * *

"So have you and Mom talked about True Loves Kiss yet?" Henry raised a brow as he watched Regina fix a tray for Fiona. She'd noticed the Dark Fairy beginning to stir when she checked on her this morning, so she'd decided to prepare some soup, water and medicine to have ready.

"No, we don't have time for that right now," Regina sighed, giving a small shake of her head, "We have to figure out where Gold's spellbook is and who the new Dark One is."

"But you and Mom also need to talk about being together," Henry frowned deeply, "Magic doesn't lie, Mom. And I know you're in love with each other. You have been for years! And I saw the way it hurt you to see Emma with Killian while you were alone."

She knew Henry meant no harm by what he said, but the truth still stung a little to hear, "Henry..."

"Mom," He countered her firm tone, mirroring her expression. They may not share dna, but he was certainly her son. "You have to stop being afraid. You need to talk to her."

"I tried, Henry," She blurted out with an exasperated sigh, looking up from her task as she pressed her hands on the counter, "Before the curse, before the wedding, I...I told her how I felt and ask her not to marry him..."

"And?" Henry's lips parted in surprise.

"And what do you think?" Regina frowned and looked down to the tray, straightening the utensils to give her something to do with her hands, "She rejected me."

Henry's expression was one of bewilderment when she finally met his gaze again, "But...but why would she do that? We could've been a family..."

"I don't know, Henry. Maybe she was scared or maybe she really didn't feel the same way, or see me like that..."

"Then why did your kiss break the curse?" He shook his head with a frown, watching his mother shrug her shoulders to say she didn't know. "I'm sorry Mom."

"It's okay, Henry," She smiled weakly, reaching out to cover his hand, "I have you and that's all that matters."

"But you deserve more than just me. You deserve to have somebody that loves you and looks after you. Out of anybody in this town, you've fought the hardest for your happy ending," He frowns, obviously disturbed by the news that Emma had rejected her, "I just wish you'd get it already."

She gave a small, vulnerable laugh before attempting a playful smirk as she picked up the tray, "Me and you both, kid."

...

"Look who's going to survive after all," Regina smiled fakely as she carried the tray into her bedroom, seeing Fiona attempting to lift herself up on her elbows, "Shame."

"Why am I here?" Fiona grit out, her voice hoarse as she watched Regina set the tray down on the bedside table, "Why didn't you let them kill me?"

Fiona looked terrible, her skin much paler than her usual porcelain complexion. Her face was bruised, a few nicks on her eyebrow and jaw, marring her striking features. She'd been down for nearly two days straight, proving her body had taken quite a beating.

"Because dear, that would be much too quick of a sentence for you," Regina side-eyed her before turning to pull Fiona's pillows from below her head and rearrange them against the headboard. "No, I intend much worse for the woman who cursed me."

"Fuck!" Fiona growled loudly, clasping a hand over her ribcage at the movement of her pillow support causing throbbing pain, "So what am I now? Your prisoner?"

"Oh don't be so dramatic, it doesn't suit you," Regina looked down at her as she hooked her forearms under Fiona's shoulders, helping her scoot up the bed to lean against the headboard, "I convinced them to let you heal here instead of a jail cell. Show some gratitude."

"Thank you so much, Your Majesty," Fiona hissed through gritted teeth, flashing a smile that looked more like a snarl.

"My pleasure," Regina replied just as venomously, setting the tray down on Fiona's lap, "I want you back in top form before I destroy you for what you did."

Fiona frowned, feeling her face with her fingertips, wincing at the tender flesh from bruises and cuts, "So tell me, dear wife, how did you break this curse?" She asked, curious as to how Regina would respond.

Regina avoided eye contact, rounding the bed to straighten up the duvet, "Please, your curse was sloppy, it didn't take much."

"Hm," Fiona leans her head black against the headboard, exhausted just from switching positions, "And our magic? Why don't we have it?"

"Well, it appears your dearly departed son hid the Spell Book before he left this world and we've yet to find it to enact magic once again," Regina replied, instantly regretting it when she glanced up to see Fiona's expression. Her face paled with the memory of her son's death, eyes glossy with tears and throat working to swallow her emotion.

"And what do you heroes have planned for me? Do I get a trial or just an old fashioned lynching?" Fiona managed to ask sarcastically after regaining her control. She tried to appear unfazed by Regina's callous comment but she wasn't that good of an actress.

Regina felt guilt gnaw at her stomach, imagining for a moment if it had been Henry. She couldn't imagine the pain Fiona was and had been dealing with privately, with no one to talk about it with or comfort her. It dulled her anger and resentment towards the woman for the time being, "We haven't gotten that far yet."

"Sounds promising."


End file.
